VI 

A 

i 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


The  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 

AND 

THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU 


BY 

DR.  A.  MARCHAND 

PRESIDENT  OF  THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU  AT  LOURDES 


TRANSLATED  BY 

DOM  FRANCIS  IZARD,  O.S.B., 

M.R.C.S.Eng,,  L.R.C.P.Lond. 


boston  , 

CHt-bUUji 


j  t- 

;  S 


UBRAR’s' 

MASS, 


NEW  YORK,  CINCINNATI,  CHICAGO 

BENZIGER  BROTHERS 

PRINTERS  TO  THE  I  PUBLISHERS  OF 

HOLY  APOSTOLIC  SEE  |  BENZIGER’S  MAGAZINE 


1924 


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j':  <•')  %. 


207460 


Made  and  Printed  in  Great  Britain 


To  His  Lordship 

MGR.  SCHOEPFER 

Bishop  of  Tarbes  and  Lourdes 


In  Token  of  Respect  and  Gratitude 


LETTER  OF  THE  SECRETARY  OF 
STATE  TO  HIS  HOLINESS 


No.  20,617]  The  Vatican, 

July  26,  1923. 

Dear  Doctor, 

Our  holy  Father  Pope  Pius  XI  has  graciously 
deigned  to  accept  the  gift  you  have  made  him  of 
your  recent  work  entitled  ‘  ‘  The  F  acts  of  Lourdes 
and  the  Medical  Bureau.” 

Your  position  fully  enables  you  to  judge  of  the 
value  of  the  Medical  Bureau,  to  estimate  the  role  it 
plays  at  Lourdes,  and  to  make  this  known  to  the 
public. 

This  work,  as  accurate  and  sincere  as  it  is  able,  is 
another  incontestable  authority  bearing  witness  to 
the  glory  of  the  Immaculate  Virgin,  and  the  benefits 
bestowed  through  her. 

The  Sovereign  Pontiff  thanks  you  for  the  gift,  and 
its  accompanying  filial  sentiments,  felicitates  you  on 
your  work  at  the  Medical  Bureau  at  Lourdes,  and 
willingly  accords  you  his  paternal  and  apostolic 
Benediction.  With  my  personal  thanks  for  the  copy 
you  have  also  sent  me, 

I  remain,  my  dear  Doctor, 

Yours  sincerely  in  Christ, 

P.  Card.  Gasparri. 

To  Dr.  Marchand, 

Vice-President  of  the  Lourdes 
Medical  Bureau. 


Vll 


LETTER  OF  MONSIGNOR  SCHOEPFER, 
BISHOP  OF  TARBES  AND  LOURDES 


Our  Lady  of  Lourdes, 
September  29,  1922. 

(. Feast  of  St  Michael  the  Archangel.) 

My  dear  Doctor, 

I  am  late  on  account  of  my  heavy  work — as 
you  see,  I  accuse  and  excuse  myself  at  the  same 
time — in  thanking  you  for  the  delicate  attention  of 
dedicating  to  me  your  work  entitled  The  Facts  of 
Lourdes  and  the  Medical  Bureau. 

I  wished  also  before  writing  to  you  to  read  this 
work,  being  convinced  that  I  should  have  to  add  to 
my  thanks  the  most  sincere  felicitations.  To-day  I 
give  myself  this  double  pleasure. 

Your  readers,  and  they  will  be  numerous,  will,  like 
me,  hasten  to  congratulate  the  Doctor  who  joins  to 
professional  knowledge  clearness  of  exposition;  in 
the  examination  of  the  sick,  and  of  those  cured,  acts 
conscientiously  and  scrupulously,  combining  with  a 
critical  spirit  enlightened  faith  and  virile  piety. 

The  merit  of  all  this  is  enhanced  by  being  set 
forth  concisely  and  in  good  literary  style. 

I  can  and  ought  therefore  to  call  the  attention  of 
the  Faithful  to  your  work,  recommending  it  at  the 
same  time  to  all  lovers  of  the  truth.  Whilst  I  was 
writing  to  you,  there  fell  at  that  moment  from 

ix 


X  LETTER  OF  MONSIGNOR  SCHOEPFER 

Heaven,  as  it  were  under  the  auspices  of  the  Arch¬ 
angel,  a  splendid  postscript,  which  I  am,  as  it  were, 
the  angel  messenger  to  convey  to  you. 

His  Holiness  Pope  Pius  XI  in  his  paternal  good¬ 
ness,  moved  also  by  his  filial  and  deep  devotion  to 
our  Lady  of  Lourdes,  has  deigned  to  address  me  a 
Brief,  by  which  he  does  us — I  say  “us”  deliberately 
— the  honour  to  name  you  a  Knight  of  the  Order  of 
St  Gregory. 

This  is  the  highest  praise  that  could  be  bestowed 
upon  you  and  your  work.  There  is  no  need  for  me 
to  add  a  word  to  this  witness  of  your  merits.  With 
most  cordial  congratulations, 

Believe  me,  my  dear  Doctor, 

Yours  affectionately  and  devotedly, 

F.  Xavier, 

Bishop  of  Tarbes  and  Lourdes. 

To  Dr.  Marchand, 

Vice-President  of  the  Medical 
Bureau  at  Lourdes. 


TRANSLATOR’S  PREFACE 


“  '  I  'HOSE  effects  are  rightly  to  be  called  miracles,” 

X  says  St  Thomas  Aquinas,  “which  are  wrought 
by  Divine  power  apart  from  the  order  usually  ob¬ 
served  in  nature”  ( Contra  Gentes ,  L.  Ill,  c.  102). 

To  demonstrate  these  inexplicable  cures  which  un¬ 
doubtedly  do  occur  at  Lourdes  is  the  raison  d' etre 
of  the  Medical  Bureau. 

Were  there  no  medical  examination  and  enquiry, 
all  sorts  of  spurious  cures  would  be  circulated  as 
miraculous  to  the  great  detriment  of  religion.  This 
work  of  Dr.  Marchand’s,  the  President,  shows 
well  what  the  Bureau  essays  to  do,  and  the  various 
difficulties  it  has  to  contend  with.  These  difficulties 
are  mainly  two-fold :  they  arise,  firstly,  from  the 
enthusiasm  of  the  crowds,  who  are  prone  to  see  the 
miraculous  in  any  case  which  appears  to  them  inex¬ 
plicable;  and,  secondly,  from  the  ranks  of  the  medical 
profession  itself,  in  the  form  of  insufficient  medical 
certificates. 

We  have  recently  been  told  that  “the  conditions 
obtaining  at  Lourdes  clearly  reveal  that  nothing 
which  can  rightly  be  called  medical  investigation  is 
possible  there.”  In  the  last  thirty  years  more  than 
7,800  medical  men  have  visited  the  Bureau;  surely  if 
there  were  truth  in  this  drastic  statement  more  would 
have  been  heard  about  it.  As  Dr.  Marchand  says, 

xi 


xii  TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE 

“  Perfection  is  not  of  this  world.”  The  Bureau 
makes  no  pretensions  to  medical  infallibility;  the 
President  himself  acknowledges  that  mistakes  have 
been  made.  “When  this  occurs,  however,  the  facts 
are  invariably  conscientiously  noted  in  our  archives, 
and  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  public  by  means  of 
our  official  organ,  the  Journal  of  the  Grotto  ” 
(p.  90).  The  criticisms  directed  against  the  Medical 
Bureau  almost  invariably  come  from  those  who  have 
not  been  there,  who  seem  to  think  that  “  the  reputa¬ 
tion  of  Lourdes,  and  its  power  for  good,  depends  on 
the  good-will  of  the  scientific  world,”  and  who 
clamour  for  the  Medical  Bureau  to  be  converted  into 
a  species  of  hospital  clinic. 

Sick  pilgrims  come  to  see  our  Lady  of  Lourdes, 
the  “  Health  of  the  Sick,”  and  not  to  have  anything 
to  do  with  the  medical  profession,  except  in  the  event 
of  their  cure. 

We  are  also  told  that  “there  are  serious  grounds 
for  anxiety  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the  honour  of 
our  Lady  and  of  the  Church  is  being  maintained  by 
a  body  of  admittedly  sincere  and  pious  doctors,  who, 
owing  to  the  prevailing  conditions,  are  unable  to 
render  efficient  medical  service.”  The  answer  again 
here  is  surely  to  be  found  in  the  frequent  presence  of 
Monsignor  the  Bishop  of  Tarbes  and  Lourdes,  and 
many  other  Bishops  at  the  medical  debates,  who 
have  not  considered  the  honour  of  our  Lady  and  the 
Church  to  be  imperilled  by  the  work  of  the  Bureau, 
but  rather  the  reverse. 

The  translator  of  this  work  has  been  enabled  to 
spend  at  Lourdes  two  long  visits  during  the  time  of 


TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE 


xm 


the  great  Pilgrimages,  amounting  in  all  to  almost 
five  months,  and  hardly  a  day  passed  without  a 
considerable  amount  of  time  spent  in  the  Bureau. 
He  is  himself  convinced  that  he  has  seen  cures  which 
medical  science  cannot  and  never  will  explain,  and 
believes  that  it  would  be  extremely  difficult  for  any¬ 
body  to  pass  an  equal  amount  of  time  there  and  not 
arrive  at  the  same  conclusion. 


DOM  FRANCIS  IZARD,  O.S.B. 


INTRODUCTION 


I  RETURNED  full  of  enthusiasm,  and  pro¬ 
foundly  moved,  from  the  first  French  National 
Pilgrimage  at  which  I  had  assisted;  naturally  I  was 
anxious  that  others,  especially  medical  men,  should 
share  my  convictions,  and  it  was  with  a  certain 
measure  of  surprise  that  I  discovered  that  the  facts 
of  Lourdes  were  even  yet  not  sufficiently  known 
amongst  Catholics. 

Some  had  vaguely  heard  that  in  a  little  town  of  the 
Pyrenees  supernatural  events  did  occur;  others  gave 
only  a  half-hearted  attention  to  facts  which  they  were 
told  were  not  articles  of  faith.  Many  formed  their 
opinions  on  the  erroneous  tales  of  pilgrims,  or  on 
books  written  in  an  adverse  party  spirit,  whilst  the 
great  majority  did  not  take  the  trouble  to  enquire 
about  a  subject  which  did  not  directly  concern  them. 

Doctors  are  usually  sceptical  people,  but  too  many 
of  them  absolutely  ignore  Lourdes,  and  are  simply 
amazed  when  they  are  told  of  the  cures  that  do  occur 
there,  as  also  at  the  facilities  placed  at  their  disposal 
to  examine  the  cases. 

For  many  years  now  I  have  frequented  the  Medical 
Bureau.  The  late  President,  my  esteemed  colleague 
Dr.  Boissarie,  accepted  me  as  his  collaborator ;  it  was 
with  him  and  under  his  direction  that  I  took  part  in 
this  clinic  of  the  supernatural,  to  the  direction  of 
which  I  was  one  day  to  be  called. 


xv 


xvi  INTRODUCTION 

I  think  that  the  experience  I  have  had  authorises 
me  to  add  my  modest  contribution  towards  spread¬ 
ing  the  knowledge  of  the  events  that  occur  on  the 
banks  of  the  Gave. 

Many  have  written  about  Lourdes.  Both  partisans 
and  adversaries  of  the  miraculous  have  put  forward 
their  arguments,  exchanged  views,  and  discussed 
them  often  with  a  certain  amount  of  heat.  These 
numerous  works  contain  valuable  documents  which 
manifest  clearly  the  supernatural  nature  of  the  cures, 
and  the  measure  in  which  they  can  be  controlled  and 
scrutinised. 

As  a  result  of  my  study  and  personal  experience, 
I  have  also  essayed  to  refute  the  attacks  so  often 
brought  against  the  truths  of  Lourdes,  the  point  I 
especially  desire  to  emphasise  being  the  role  played 
by  the  Medical  Bureau  and  by  medical  men  in  con¬ 
nection  with  the  Grotto  of  Lourdes. 

Conformably  to  the  decrees  of  the  Church,  I  declare 
that  each  time  I  use  the  word  “  miracle  ”  or  “  miracu¬ 
lous,”  I  do  not  intend  more  than  “extraordinary 
facts,”  or  “facts  not  explicable  by  natural  laws,”  the 
real  decision  as  to  the  “  miraculous  ”  being  left  to  the 
canonical  enquiry  of  the  Church. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Letter  from  Cardinal  Gasparri  -  -  vii 

Letter  from  the  Bishop  of  Tarbes  and 
Lourdes  -  -  -  -  ix 

Translator’s  Preface  -  -  xi 

Introduction  -  -  -  -  xv 

CHAPTER 

I.  Preliminaries  -----  i 
II.  The  Facts  -  -  -  -  17 

III.  The  Medical  Bureau  -  -  71 

IV.  The  Doctors  -  -  -  -  -  100 

V.  Conclusions  -  -  -  -  -  146 

Index  ------  149 


XVII 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


FACING  PAGE 

Zola’s  “La  Grivotte”  (Marie  Lebranchu)  -  19 

Louis  Thurel  of  Verdun  -  -  30 

Mademoiselle  Juliette  Nancey  of  Chaumont  -  33 
Mademoiselle  Ernestine  Guilloteau  of  Taillis  43 

Mademoiselle  Ernestine  Guilloteau  (One  Year 
after  Cure)  -  -  -  -  -  44 

Mademoiselle  Pr -  -  46 

Mademoiselle  Ir&ne  Salin  of  Mouri^s  -  -  51 

Mademoiselle  Valentine  Gougaud  of  Rennes-  57 
Dr.  Boissarie  •  -  -  -  -  75 

The  Bureau  des  Constatations  M^dicales  -  77 

Mademoiselle  Claire  Paquignon  at  the  Bureau  135 
Mademoiselle  Claire  Paquignon  (after  Cure)  137 


XIX 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES  AND 
THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU 


CHAPTER  I 

PRELIMINARIES 

The  message  given  to  Bernadette — The  crowds  at  Lourdes — 
Absence  of  complete  indifference — Believers  and  un¬ 
believers — The  prodigies — Medical  control  of  the  first 
facts — Spiritual  graces. 

IN  an  unknown  town  of  the  Pyrenees,  on  February 
ii,  1858,  at  about  11  o’clock  in  the  morning, 
little  Bernadette,  the  child  of  a  poor  miller,  just  as 
she  was  taking  off  her  stockings  to  wade  a  stream, 
suddenly  saw  in  a  niche  of  rock  “  something  dressed 
in  white” — a  beautiful  Lady,  the  Immaculate  Virgin. 

Bernadette  was  ignorant,  very  simple,  with  not 
the  least  tendency  to  mysticism ;  the  Lady  asked  her 
that  a  church  should  be  built  there,  adding :  “  I  wish 
people  to  come  here  ”  ;  and  the  child,  without  search¬ 
ing  for  the  slightest  explanation,  simply  repeated 
what  she  had  heard  and  seen. 

In  response  to  the  commands  given  to  the  humble 
girl,  thousands  and  thousands  have  come  from  all 
parts  of  the  world  to  kneel  at  this  spot,  and  thousands 
and  thousands  of  lips  have  recited  the  “  Hail  Mary  ” 
of  the  Rosary. 

In  spite  of  the  hate  and  sarcasm  of  those  who 
wished  to  silence  them,  these  prayers  have  continued, 


2 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


and  divine  Providence  has  replied  to  them  by  sus¬ 
pending  natural  laws  and  reversing  the  verdict  of 
human  science.  The  most  incurable  complaints  have 
been  cured  instantaneously,  and  health  restored  to 
those  who  had  been  abandoned  by  medical  science. 

For  sixty  years  now  Lourdes  has  presented  a 
marvellous  sight  from  the  religious  point  of  view. 
Immense  crowds  flock  there  to  implore  aid  through 
the  intercession  of  the  blessed  Virgin.  Vast  multi¬ 
tudes  honour  the  blessed  Sacrament,  acclaiming  its 
passage,  just  as  formerly  Christ  was  acclaimed  in 
Judea.  Those  who  have  witnessed  these  moving 
sights  can  never  forget  them.  The  invocations  to 
Jesus  and  his  holy  Mother,  during  the  immersions  in 
the  piscines,  at  the  Grotto,  and  on  the  great  Espla¬ 
nade  of  the  Rosary  Church,  are  the  spontaneous 
manifestations  of  faith  and  piety,  and  the  response 
of  divine  mercy  to  those  prayers  is  a  bestowal  of 
abundant  graces,  not  only  to  souls,  but  also  to  sick 
and  dying  bodies. 

During  the  blessing  of  the  sick  all  eyes  follow  the 
Sacred  Host,  and  hands  are  stretched  imploringly 
towards  him  who  is  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life. 
"  Lord,  that  I  may  see  ” ;  “  Lord,  that  I  may  hear  ” ; 
"  Lord,  say  but  one  word,  and  I  shall  be  healed  ” — 
such  are  the  cries  rising  from  these  great  crowds ;  and 
not  infrequently  the  dying  raise  themselves,  the  blind 
see,  the  deaf  hear,  and  the  sick  walk  with  a  firm  step. 

Such  are  the  facts — facts  which  continue  with  con¬ 
stant  regularity. 

These  prodigies  manifested  themselves  suddenly, 
in  a  century  of  unbelief,  in  spite  of  the  protestations 


PRELIMINARIES 


3 


of  so-called  science,  and  now  have  finally  been  classed 
as  inexplicable  yet  undeniable.  Despite  mockery  and 
bitter  attacks,  France  to  start  with,  then  the  world  at 
large,  have  heard  of  the  marvels  occurring  on  the 
banks  of  the  Gave :  little  by  little  they  have  become 
historic  facts. 

Now  pilgrimages  are  organised  from  all  parts  of 
the  world,  enormous  crowds  come  together  before  the 
rock  of  Massabielle,  and  great  numbers  who  had 
closed  their  ears  to  all  religious  teaching  have  yet 
acknowledged  the  facts  and  believed  as  the  result  of 
the  prodigies  they  have  seen — prodigies  which  run 
absolutely  counter  to  natural  laws. 

These  recitals  have  somewhat  perturbed  the  un¬ 
believers  and  anticlericals.  That  “miracles  are  im¬ 
possible”  was  for  them  an  axiom  based  on  Science 
and  Reason;  yet  at  the  voice  of  a  child,  who  was 
“certainly  hallucinated,”  the  attention  of  all  has 
been  fixed  on  Lourdes.  From  a  sombre  grotto  there, 
a  ray  of  light  has  emanated  in  all  directions,  attract¬ 
ing  the  attention  of  believers,  atheists,  freethinkers, 
the  learned  and  the  ignorant. 

The  faithful  thank  God,  prostrate  themselves  before 
the  marvels  he  has  deigned  to  work.  Others  are  rest¬ 
less,  hesitate,  and  ask  themselves  if  the  moment  has 
really  come  to  acknowledge  the  supernatural.  Others, 
again,  smile  maliciously,  simply  refusing  to  believe, 
for  they  know  that  this  would  involve  changing  their 
ideas,  and  their  mode  of  life.  Even  some  Catholics 
refuse  to  examine  the  facts  which  they  have  more  or 
less  vaguely  heard  spoken  of,  alleging  that  they  are 
not  articles  of  faith ;  they  refuse  to  study  the  evidence, 


4 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


or  reflect  about  them.  Nevertheless  they  do  form 
some  sort  of  an  opinion — an  opinion  usually  coloured 
by  the  fantastic  tales  they  have  heard,  and  the 
writings  of  hostile  critics,  who  look  upon  the  miracu¬ 
lous  as  impossible,  or  as  having  occurred  solely 
during  the  life  of  our  Lord. 

We  see,  then,  faith,  negation,  ridicule,  ignorance, 
but  never  complete  indifference. 

Here,  in  a  place  formerly  unknown  but  now  cele¬ 
brated,  Science  is  obliged  to  avow  its  impotence,  and 
Reason  bow  before  Faith. 

If  unbelievers  were  really  loyal  and  sincere,  they 
would  examine  the  evidence,  renounce  preconceived 
notions,  and  render  homage  to  the  Truth. 

In  the  presence  of  facts  duly  witnessed  and 
scientifically  controlled,  the  most  prejudiced  free¬ 
thinkers  are  somewhat  disconcerted,  and  shaken  in 
their  scepticism  in  spite  of  themselves. 

The  facts  of  Lourdes  are  not  simply  legendary 
recitals,  handed  down  by  tradition  and  history.  No; 
they  are  actual  realities,  facts  which  can  be  examined 
and  studied ;  everyone  can  satisfy  himself  as  to 
their  authenticity.  Veritable  resurrections  occur; 
organs  disorganised  or  partially  destroyed  regain 
their  integrity  :  and  this  in  the  full  light  of  day,  so 
that  the  critic  can,  if  he  wishes,  examine  the  facts 
and  verify  them  by  his  scientific  knowledge. 

It  is  true,  a  'priori ,  that  Reason  declares  such  facts 
incompatible  with  Science,  and  Science,  so  called, 
resists  the  evidence.  But  why  ?  Has  Science  arrived 
at  perfection  ?  Has  it  probed  into  and  solved  all 
Nature’s  secrets?  Are  there  no  problems  left?  As  a 


PRELIMINARIES 


5 


matter  of  fact,  Science,  assuming  an  infallibility, 
absolutely  denies  the  supernatural;  but  refusing  to 
examine  and  discuss,  by  that  very  fact  seems  to  avow 
its  incompetence  to  judge.  When  it  does  consent  to 
examine  the  facts  it  finds  itself  face  to  face  with  irre¬ 
futable  evidence,  and  has  to  allow  itself  vanquished. 
The  facts  of  Lourdes  testify  to  the  imperfection  and 
feebleness  of  that  Science  which  believed  it  could 
solve  all  problems. 

At  the  present  time,  at  the  foot  of  the  Grotto,  where 
the  frail  and  simple  Bernadette  saw  and  heard  “the 
Lady,”  the  intellectual  world  is  divided  into  two 
camps — believers  and  unbelievers. 

More  than  ever  there  is  an  obstinate  combat  between 
the  two  armies — between  truth  and  error,  between  true 
Science  and  false  Philosophy.  When  the  latter  makes 
recruits,  it  is  not  by  the  logic  of  her  teaching,  but 
because  such  Philosophy,  contrary  to  true  Science, 
flatters  and  encourages  man’s  worst  instincts. 

True  Science  and  sane  Philosophy  believe  that  there 
exists  a  creative  and  sustaining  power,  a  First  Cause 
— God,  personal,  intelligent,  free,  independent,  and 
infinitely  powerful.  From  this  idea  of  God  the  pos¬ 
sibility  of  miracles  proceeds  in  a  natural  way. 

For  the  last  sixty  years  Lourdes  has  manifested  the 
intervention  of  a  supernatural  power.  How  is  it  that 
the  facts  have  always  aroused  so  much  opposition  ? 

Lapse  of  time  obscures  facts.  Little  by  little  they 
come  to  be  regarded  as  legendary.  The  more  ancient 
an  event,  the  less  real  it  seems  to  be.  We  regard  as 
certain  what  we  have  seen  ourselves.  Our  certitude 
is  less  for  facts  narrated  to  us  if  we  have  not  seen  them, 


6 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


even  though  they  have  been  contemporaneous ;  and  if 
they  are  in  the  distant  past,  we  regard  them  with  a 
certain  amount  of  incredulity. 

The  belief  in  the  miraculous  incidents  of  the  Gospels 
has  tended  to  decrease  during  the  centuries.  To  ex¬ 
plain  them  numerous  interpretations  have  been  put 
forward,  and  progressively  in  the  case  of  many  there 
has  grown  up  a  certain  amount  of  scepticism.  From 
doubt  the  passage  is  easy  to  deny  the  possibility  of 
the  miraculous,  and  many  have  made  it. 

Well,  I  believe  that  the  miracles  of  Lourdes  are 
jv..  strictly  comparable  to  those  of  the  Gospels,  and  are 
capable  of  furnishing  the  latter  with  a  degree  of 
certitude  which  many  previously  refused  them. 

Science  is  often  said  to  deny  the  possibility  of 
supernatural  facts;  in  the  eyes  of  irreligious  people 
and  atheists  “no  sensible  man  can  admit  the  miracu¬ 
lous.”  But  this  affirmation  rests  upon  no  definite 
basis;  consequently,  as  it  is  unsupported  by  proof  or 
demonstration,  the  adversaries  of  religion  fall  back 
upon  insults  and  sarcasm. 

Sometimes  this  hatred  feigns  indifference.  There 
are  some  freethinkers  who  put  away  any  decisive 
examination  of  the  point,  and  instead  of  sarcasms 
they  prefer  to  discuss  something  else.  They  would 
be  delighted  if  the  cures  of  Lourdes  sank  into  complete 
oblivion.  Facts  are  facts,  however,  and  one  can  do 
nothing  against  them. 

If  the  supernatural  is  mentioned  to  the  proud,  they 
reply  that  God  has  something  else  to  do  than  to 
bother  himself  about  the  prayers  coming  from  this 
microscopic  world ;  they  will  even  try  to  prove  that 


PRELIMINARIES 


7 

he  does  not  exist ;  consequently  it  is  impossible  for  him 
to  manifest  himself  here  below. 

In  spite  of  everything-,  however,  Infinite  Power — the 
finger  of  God,  as  it  were — does  manifest  itself  at 
Lourdes.  Since  the  first  apparitions  of  our  blessed 
Lady  to  Bernadette,  cures  have  not  ceased,  and  many 
of  these  have  been  cases  reputed  incurable — cases,  too, 
which  were  nearing  their  termination.  The  majority 
of  the  sick  who  visit  Lourdes  present  grave  lesions, 
and  divine  Providence  not  infrequently  chooses  for 
its  manifestations  the  agonising  and  the  dying. 

The  reality  of  these  striking  cures  is  incontestable; 
the  most  incredulous  have  witnessed  them.  The 
various  interpretations  of  these  cures  do  not  stultify 
their  existence.  Before  searching  for  their  cause  we 
must  accept  them  with  their  logical  consequences. 
Whatever  these  may  be,  it  is  absolutely  certain  that 
at  Lourdes,  bone  diseases,  ununited  fractures  of  years’ 
standing,  ulcers,  fistulas,  and  wounds  of  various  sorts, 
have  been  suddenly  cured;  cases  of  advanced  phthisis, 
with  large  lung  cavities,  are  instantaneously  cica¬ 
trised  as  a  result  of  a  bath  in  the  piscines.  No  con¬ 
scientious  man  can  remain  indifferent  to  events  which 
are  absolutely  opposed  to  the  natural  order.  Before 
discussing  their  explanation  let  us  direct  our  attention 
in  the  first  place  to  the  reality  of  the  organic  lesions, 
and  to  their  disappearance. 

Certainly  everyone  has  the  right  to  discuss  the  cures 
which  occur  yearly  at  Lourdes,  a  right  also  to  search 
for  a  natural  explanation ;  but,  I  repeat,  no  one  has  a 
right  to  deny  the  facts,  or  from  mere  a  priori  reasoning 
to  deny  their  existence.  As  we  shall  see  later  on,  the 


8 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


facts  force  themselves  upon  us  despite  theory  and  dis¬ 
cussion.  Explanatory  theories  and  hypotheses  do 
not  change  their  reality.  They  exist;  and  I  repeat 
once  again,  no  one  can  remain  indifferent  in  the 
presence  of  sensible  and  visible  phenomena,  for  these 
form  a  base,  a  foundation  which  defies  doubt. 

To  commence  with,  the  cause  of  the  cures  at  Lourdes 
was  assigned  either  to  the  chemical  activity  of  the 
water,  or  to  its  low  temperature.  Later  on  radio¬ 
activity  was  invoked.  Zola  asked  if,  in  addition  to 
the  influence  of  the  place,  a  bath  in  freezing  water 
might  not  be  capable  of  curing  tuberculous  affections  ? 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  water  from  the  spring  in  the 
Grotto  has  no  mineral,  therapeutic,  or  radio-active 
properties;  careful  analyses  have  repeatedly  proved 
this.  The  influence  of  the  cold  water  cannot  be  the 
cause,  for  the  cures  take  place  not  only  behind  the 
curtains  which  screen  the  baths,  but  also  before 
thousands  of  spectators  on  the  Rosary  Esplanade. 

In  the  great  space  which  is  bounded  by  the  ramps 
which  give  access  to  the  Basilica,  and  in  front  of  the 
crowned  statue  of  our  Lady,  there  are,  during  the 
French  National  Pilgrimage,  as  many  as  a  thousand 
or  twelve  hundred  sick,  on  stretchers,  invalid 
carriages,  etc.,  lined  up  before  a  dense  mass  of  fervent 
pilgrims.  The  blessed  Sacrament  passes  before  them, 
acclaimed  by  hosannas,  and  greeted  with  prayers  of 
supplication.  To  each  sick  person  (or,  if  they  are 
extremely  numerous,  before  small  groups  of  them)  the 
benediction  is  given,  and  it  is  usually  at  these 
moments,  as  formerly  in  Judea,  that  the  paralysed  get 
up,  the  lame  walk,  and  the  dying  live  again.  Those 


PRELIMINARIES 


9 


who  have  been  present  at  this  wonderful  spectacle  can 
never  forget  it,  nor  the  emotion  they  felt  in  the 
presence  of  these  wonderful  manifestations. 

During  the  National  Pilgrimage  of  1920,  at  the  pro¬ 
cession  in  the  afternoon,  I  was  surrounded  by  a  group 
of  twenty-seven  colleagues,  who  were  our  guests  at  the 
time.  It  is  a  privilege  of  the  doctors  to  follow  the 
blessed  Sacrament  immediately  behind  the  Bishops, 
and  to  pass  thus  before  all  the  sick.  The  acclamations 
of  the  enormous  crowd,  the  pomp  of  the  religious 
ceremony,  the  imploring  gestures,  and  prayers  to 
Jesus  in  the  blessed  Sacrament — the  display  of  this 
quintessence  of  human  suffering  and  infirmity  moved 
even  the  most  sceptical  and  indifferent.  When  we 
returned  to  the  Medical  Bureau,  one  of  the  doctors,  a 
foreigner,  said  to  me,  with  some  disdain  :  “  Do  not 
ask  me  to  take  part  again  in  your  Procession.  What 
is  to  be  thought  of  medical  men  who  shed  tears  like 
women  ?” 

From  the  very  commencement  of  the  apparitions, 
medical  study  and  a  certain  measure  of  scientific  con¬ 
trol  have  not  been  wanting  at  Lourdes.  As  soon  as 
Bernadette  Soubirous  commenced  to  be  a  popular 
topic  of  conversation,  medical  men  scrutinised  the 
minutest  details  of  her  character,  her  words,  and  her 
actions.  Some  considered  her  as  hallucinated  and 
hysterical,  others  accused  her  of  lies  and  trickery. 
The  local  practitioners,  to  commence  with,  shrugged 
their  shoulders,  and  declined  even  to  discuss  “these 
superstitions.”  What  use  in  any  enquiry  ?  What  has 
Science  to  do  with  such  child’s  play  ?  Dr.  Dozous 
alone  was  struck  by  the  character  of  the  little  girl,  and 


L 


10  THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 

insisted  that  she  was  naturally  well-balanced.  The 
various  phenomena,  he  said,  which  were  causing  so 
much  excitement  were  well  worth  careful  examination 
and  study,  and  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  this 
privileged  child  showed  no  traces  whatever  of  any 
mental  disturbance. 

The  doctor  at  Nevers,  who  visited  the  Convent  of 
the  Sisters  of  Charity  where  Bernadette  had  been  ad¬ 
mitted,  stated  that  the  young  religious  “is  far  from 
showing  any  sign  of  mental  symptoms ;  her  simple  and 
tranquil  character  shows  no  disposition  to  nervous 
trouble.” 

Dr.  Verges,  Professor  of  the  Faculty  of  Medicine  at 
Montpellier,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Commission 
appointed  in  1858  by  Mgr.  Laurence,  the  Bishop  of 
Tarbes,  to  examine  the  sick  said  to  have  been  cured 
by  the  miraculous  spring  discovered  by  Bernadette, 
wrote :  “  On  casting  a  glance  over  the  cures  of 

Lourdes,  one  would  say  that  there  is  a  violation,  an 
upsetting  of  all  our  therapeutic  measures,  a  definite 
contradiction  of  the  laws  of  Science,  for  the  phenomena 
certainly  surpass  human  explanation.  How  are  we  to 
explain  the  simplicity  of  the  means  and  the  greatness 
of  the  result ;  the  same  remedy,  yet  the  cure  of  various 
diseases ;  the  short  duration  of  the  curative  agent,  the 
length  of  treatment  necessary  according  to  Science; 
the  success  of  the  former,  the  failure  of  the  latter  ?” 

Twenty  years  later,  in  1886,  Professor  Verges  wrote 
the  following  declaration,  which  is  preserved  in  a 
place  of  honour  on  the  walls  of  the  Medical  Bureau : 
“  If  I  am  asked  what  I  have  seen  at  Lourdes,  I  reply : 
By  the  examination  of  duly  authenticated  facts,  which 


PRELIMINARIES 


1 1 


are  incontestably  proved  to  be  beyond  the  power  of 
medical  art  and  science,  I  have  seen,  have  touched,  a 
divine  work,  the  miraculous  ” 

Since  that  time  many  doctors  have  visited  Lourdes, 
arriving  there  as  absolute  sceptics  and  irreconcilable 
adversaries  of  the  miraculous;  they  have  left  con¬ 
vinced  by  the  evidence,  not  being  ashamed  to  avow 
that  they  have  witnessed  facts  accomplished  before 
their  eyes  which  they  were  totally  unable  to  explain. 
In  the  case  of  those  who  judge  Lourdes  from  a  dis¬ 
tance,  and  without  eliminating  their  preconceived 
philosophical  convictions,  the  result  is  almost  certain 
to  be  negative :  if  instead  of  this  the  facts  are  ob¬ 
served,  and  carefully  studied  on  the  spot,  there  is 
every  probability  that  they  will  arrive  at  the  truth. 

Littr£,  in  1873,  compared  the  miraculous  to  the 
results  obtained  by  magnetism,  spiritism,  etc.,  which, 
he  said,  only  occur  in  circles  already  convinced  in 
advance.  For  this  author  the  happenings  of  Lourdes 
were  simply  illusions  bolstered  up  by  a  naive  credulity 
and  definite  fraud.  In  our  own  times,  according  to 
Bernheim,  the  cures  of  Lourdes  are  authentic;  the 
facts  undoubtedly  exist,  but  their  explanation  is 
erroneous.  We  can  see,  then,  how  in  twenty  years 
there  has  been  a  considerable  change  of  ideas. 

The  time  of  systematic  contempt  has  passed.  In 
our  days  the  facts  of  Lourdes  are  studied  most 
thoroughly.  Still,  in  spite  of  reason  and  logic,  there 
is  a  hesitation  about  forming  an  opinion,  and  a  refusal 
to  face  the  evidence. 

How  is  it  that,  despite  this  great  movement  which 
has  now  lasted  fifty  years,  despite  careful  examina- 


12 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


tion,  discussion  and  argument,  despite  numerous  and 
convincing  testimony  from  hundreds  and  hundreds  of 
witnesses,  there  is  yet  scepticism  ? 

Scepticism  exists  because  people  do  not  wish  to  see. 
Lourdes  frightens  them;  it  seems  to  lead  them  to 
definite  cross-roads.  If  they  accept  the  facts  they  in¬ 
evitably  lead  them  on  to  the  truth — and  the  practice 
of  the  Faith. 

More  astonishing,  however,  at  Lourdes  than  the 
physical  miracles  are  the  miracles  of  grace  which  occur 
in  this  atmosphere  of  prayer  and  charity.  At  Lourdes 
reigns  a  true  fraternity,  a  true  equality.  Examples  of 
this  are  constantly  given  by  all :  the  stretcher-bearers, 
the  voluntary  workers  of  both  sexes  in  the  hospitals 
and  piscines,  all  forget  their  own  needs  and  fatigue 
to  devote  themselves  heart  and  soul  to  the  care  of  their 
poor  and  suffering  brethren.  At  Lourdes  the  poor, 
the  unfortunate,  are  the  masters ;  they  find  immedi¬ 
ately  on  their  arrival  in  the  city  of  Mary  comfortable 
hospitals  to  receive  them,  solicitous  care  bestowed 
upon  their  various  ailments,  comfort  and  consolation 
for  their  sufferings.  The  sacrifices  made  to  help 
others,  the  mutual  affection  vivified  by  the  same 
faith,  give  the  sick  patience  and  resignation.  Another 
miracle  at  Lourdes  is  that  there  is  always  hope. 

Who  can  compute  the  number  of  those  who  return  to 
God,  as  a  result  of  breathing  this  atmosphere  of  faith 
and  piety  ?  Who  can  tell  the  conversions  ?  Some  of 
these  we  hear  of,  but  the  greater  number  are  known 
only  to  God.  How  many  men  without  the  slightest 
disposition  to  piety,  led  by  curiosity  to  the  banks  of 


PRELIMINARIES 


13 


the  Gave,  either  by  a  chance  journey,  or  by  the  tender 
and  persevering  solicitude  of  a  mother  or  wife,  have 
been  absolutely  overwhelmed  by  the  spectacle  of 
ardent  faith  and  prayer  which  surrounded  them  ? 
How  many  have  suddenly  put  away  their  past,  their 
ancient  convictions,  to  become  convinced  and  practis¬ 
ing  Catholics  ? 

One  evening  at  about  nine  o’clock,  during  a  large 
pilgrimage,  a  priest  issuing  from  the  Rosary  Church 
was  stopped  by  a  young  man,  obviously  labouring 
under  considerable  emotion.  He  timidly  asked  the 
priest  to  hear  his  confession.  The  numerous  con¬ 
fessionals  were  beset  with  penitents,  and  it  would  take 
some  time,  said  the  young  man,  for  he  had  not  been 
near  a  confessional  for  twenty  years,  not  since  his  first 
Communion;  so,  seated  on  one  of  the  stone  steps 
which  flank  the  door  of  the  church,  his  confession 
was  heard.  After  the  absolution  had  been  pro¬ 
nounced,  and  peace  restored  to  this  soul  of  good-will, 
he  said  to  the  priest,  with  a  face  wet  with  tears  :  “  How 
happy  I  am  !  The  desire  to  receive  pardon  for  all  my 
sins  suddenly  overwhelmed  me.  Father,”  he  added, 
“would  you  have  the  kindness  to  do  me  one  more 
service  ?  Come  with  me  to  see  my  dear  mother ;  she 
will  scarcely  believe  me  if  you  do  not  come  as  witness 
of  the  grace  you  have  accorded  me.” 

Evidently,  if  one  places  oneself  solely  on  scientific 
grounds,  it  is  the  curability  of  the  apparently  in¬ 
curable  which  is  the  characteristic  feature  of  Lourdes. 
If,  however,  the  whole  is  envisaged  in  the  light  of 
religion;  if  the  prayers,  the  edifying  piety,  which  are 
witnessed  everywhere  are  taken  into  account,  then  the 


H 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


supernatural  cures  of  the  body  are  only  one  amongst 
other  manifestations  of  the  spiritual  life  and  Catholic 
Faith. 

God  cures  the  sick  not  only  to  soothe  pain  and 
restore  health;  his  motive  is  more  than  cure — it  is  to 
put  the  supernatural  in  evidence,  it  is  to  affirm  his 
infinite  power.  Our  blessed  Lady  wishes  that  the 
crowds  at  Lourdes  shall  be  struck  by  the  presence  of 
this  supernatural  power,  and  that  they  shall  believe 
more  firmly. 

Around  the  sanctuaries  of  Lourdes,  the  cure  of  the 
body  is  not  all ;  the  contact  works  a  real  transforma¬ 
tion  in  the  soul. 

What  a  sad  spectacle  is  one  of  these  poor  unfortun¬ 
ates  stretched  on  his  bed  for  months,  perhaps  for 
years !  Art  has  done  what  could  be  done,  but  now 
there  is  no  hope ;  the  sufferer  is  condemned  to  lifelong 
sickness,  and  he  realises  that  all  his  efforts  are  useless. 

When  such  cases  set  out  for  Lourdes,  they  support 
with  heroic  courage  all  the  inconveniences  and  dis¬ 
comforts  of  the  long  journey;  no  complaints  escape 
from  their  lips — they  patiently  bear  everything,  up¬ 
held  and  sustained  by  hope. 

What  deception,  what  disillusionment,  if  they  do 
not  obtain  their  desire  at  Lourdes,  if  their  paralysed 
limbs  are  not  cured,  their  pains  do  not  cease,  their 
wounds  remain  unhealed ! 

Well,  this  is  not  the  case.  A  prodigy  is  worked : 
as  soon  as  they  arrive  at  Lourdes,  raise  their  eyes  to 
the  statue  of  our  Lady,  and  bathe  in  the  piscine,  they 
are  transformed.  The  fear  of  not  being  cured  dis¬ 
appears  ;  it  is  replaced  by  a  humble  submission  to  the 


PRELIMINARIES  15 

will  of  God.  Not  one  departs  from  Lourdes  uncon¬ 
soled,  uncomforted. 

Undoubtedly  one  of  the  permanent  miracles  of 
Lourdes  is  the  resignation  that  is  acquired  there ;  it  is 
not  infrequent  to  hear  from  the  lips  of  the  sick :  “  O 
God,  do  not  cure  me;  I  offer  my  sufferings,  my  life, 
for  those  who  are  worse,  who  suffer  more  than  I  do.” 

Boissarie1  quotes  the  case  of  a  consumptive  patient 
from  Villepinte,  who  received  one  day  the  visit  of  a 
Parisian  doctor  accompanied  by  his  brother — an 
engineer  by  profession,  and  a  Protestant.  The  doctor 
had  given  marks  of  his  great  interest  in  the  poor 
sufferer,  and  Juliette  Foret  had  been  much  moved  by 
his  sympathy.  A  few  days  after  his  visit  she  wrote 
to  a  friend  :  “  I  am  hoping  that  the  blessed  Virgin  will 
cure  me;  I  shall  be  very  sad  if  my  illness  persists. 
However,  I  willingly  make  the  sacrifice  of  my  health 
and  life,  if  it  will  ensure  the  conversion  of  Monsieur 

X - -,  the  Protestant  who  visited  me  recently.”  Such 

an  offer  received  a  very  definite  recompense ;  our  Lady 
of  Lourdes  answered  all  the  prayers  of  the  pious  girl : 
she  herself  was  cured  of  phthisis,  which  was  nearing 
its  fatal  termination;  the  doctor  became  a  Redemp- 
torist  priest,  and  the  Protestant  engineer  a  Catholic. 

During  the  summer  of  1920  Monsieur  X - ,  a  dis¬ 

tinguished  member  of  Parisian  society,  entered  the 
Medical  Bureau.  He  was  accompanied  by  his  wife 
and  daughter.  The  latter  was  a  charming  child, 
twelve  years  of  age,  with  sweet  and  regular  features, 
endowed  with  unusual  intelligence,  and  having  the 
appearance  of  perfect  health ;  her  otherwise  pretty  face 
1  The  Cures  of  Lourdes,  first  series,  p.  70. 


1 6 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


was,  however,  completely  marred  by  a  pronounced 

squint.  With  eyes  full  of  tears,  Madame  X - told 

me  of  the  grief  this  caused  both  herself  and  her  hus¬ 
band.  They  had  come  to  implore  her  cure  from  our 
Lady  of  Lourdes,  and  did  not  doubt  that  their  earnest 
desire  would  be  granted. 

Three  days  afterwards  I  received  again  a  visit  from 
the  X -  family.  “Doctor,”  said  the  mother,  ap¬ 

parently  quite  consoled,  “  all  three  of  us  have  made 
the  sacrifice  of  the  cure.  After  all,  we  have  earthly 
wealth;  this  trouble  is  but  a  wound  to  our  self-love, 
and  what  is  it  in  comparison  to  the  revolting  illnesses 
which  we  see  around  us  ?  May  the  blessed  Virgin  still 
continue  our  slight  cross  and  come  to  the  assistance 
of  our  less  fortunate  brethren,  for  whom  we  offer  our 
prayers  and  this  sacrifice.” 

Who  knows  with  what  graces  the  Immaculate 
Virgin  may  have  recompensed  such  charity  ? 


CHAPTER  II 


THE  FACTS 


The  miraculous  cures — Incurable  cases — Circumstances  of 
the  cure  —  Persistence  of  the  cure  —  La  Grivotte  — 
Scientific  opposition — Attacks  made  in  bad  faith — Pul¬ 
monary  tuberculosis — Louis  Thurel — Juliette  Nancey — The 
time  factor — Nervous  diseases — Ernestine  Guilloteau — 

Mademoiselle  Pr - Suggestion — The  water  of  the  spring — 

Irene  Salin — Valentine  Gougaud — Nature’s  unknown  forces 
— Natural  cures — The  enthusiasm  of  the  crowd— Pre¬ 
mature  accounts  and  publications — Necessity  for  a  Medical 
Bureau. 


I 


O  make  any  serious  study  of  the  supernatural 


-L  facts  of  Lourdes,  it  is  most  important  in  the  first 
place  to  understand  clearly  what  is  connoted  by  the 
term  “  a  miraculous  or  supernatural  cure.” 

Some  people  have  most  erroneous  ideas.  A 
“  miraculous  ”  cure  does  not  necessarily  indicate  the 
whole  and  complete  restoration  of  some  diseased 
tissues,  or  the  sudden  reconstitution,  as  it  were,  of  a 
new  organ.  When  a  bone  is  destroyed  by  some 
form  of  osteitis,  with  the  separation  of  fragments 
( sequestra ),  there  is  no  necessity  that  the  bone  should 
be  restored  to  its  original  condition  to  constitute  a 
supernatural  cure;  nor,  again,  in  the  case  of  the  lungs, 
that  it  should  be  replaced  by  normal  lung  tissue  :  with 
the  latter  the  cure  usually  takes  place  by  scar  tissue, 
the  scar  forming  definite  evidence  of  the  old  trouble — 
the  signature  of  the  miracle ,  as  it  were.  We  are  well 
aware  that  outside  those  maladies  which  experience 
and  research  have  taught  us  are  incurable,  the  re- 


2 


i8 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


If 


a*4 


**">v 

T 

re¬ 


sources  of  Nature  are  enormous;  with  appropriate 
treatment  and  time,  the  most  alarming  symptoms 
may  subside,  leading  to  most  unexpected  improve¬ 
ment,  sometimes  even  to  complete  cure  of  the  affected 
organ.  Such  a  result  is  only  obtained  after  long  and 
persevering  treatment.  But  when,  after  the  failure  of 
all  efforts,  health  returns  abruptly  without  the  con¬ 
valescence  which  accompanies  natural  cures,  when 
healing  is  effected  in  the  “  twinkling  of  an  eye,”  at  that 
precise  moment  when  the  patient  and  his  friends  are 
invoking  the  divine  mercy,  then,  I  repeat,  it  is  im¬ 
possible  to  explain  such  a  case  by  our  own  know¬ 
ledge  or  experience. 

Some  are  supernatural  because  the  disease 

is  incurable;  such  is  the  case  with  cancer.  Others, 
again,  owe  their  miraculous  character  to  the  mode, 
as,  for  instance,  a  case  of  hip  disease,  or  an  ulcer 
instantaneously  cured.  Here  the  instantaneity  of  the 
cure  is  the  supernatural  feature,  for  it  is  in  direct 
contradiction  with  the  laws  of  Nature,  and  could  not 
be  accounted  for  by  the  perfection  or  skill  of  the 
previous  treatment. 

Lourdes  !  Supernatural  cures  !  With  what  dis¬ 
dain  and  scorn  these  words  were  used  to  commence 
with.  However,  in  spite  of  this  the  name  of  the  little 
Pyrenean  city  became  more  widely  known,  and  the 
knowledge  of  the  wonderful  cures  that  occur  there 
penetrated  everywhere. 

Gradually  intelligent  people  began  to  evince  a 
certain  amount  of  legitimate  curiosity.  Those  who 
came  and  saw  for  themselves  commenced  to  enquire 
as  to  the  cause  of  the  strange  phenomena  they  wit- 


ERRATUM 


Page  1 8,  line  14.  For  “some  diseases  are  supernatural,” 
read  “some  cures  are  supernatural.” 


ZOLA’S  LA  GR1  VOLTE  (MARIE  LEBRANCHU). 


THE  FACTS 


19 


nessed.  They  found  themselves  in  the  presence  of 
cures  which  differed  absolutely  from  those  so  far 
obtained  by  medical  science. 

This  difference  is  threefold — instantaneity ,  com¬ 
pleteness)  and  permanence  of  the  cure.  The  disease 
suddenly  disappears,  leaving  no  trace.  At  the  same 
time  the  weakness  produced  by  the  illness  also  dis¬ 
appears,  even  though  it  has  been  very  extreme.  In 
short,  the  great  majority  of  the  cases  are  radically 
cured,  and  never  suffer  from  any  relapse. 

In  the  novel  that  he  wrote  about  Lourdes  in  1892, 
Zola  describes  with  great  realism  the  disease  and  the 
cure  of  three  or  four  patients  who  had  particularly 
drawn  his  attention,  in  the  special  train  which  con¬ 
veyed  them  there,  which  the  novelist  had  been  allowed 
to  accompany. 

Choosing  one  of  these  patients — Mademoiselle 
Marie  Lebranchu,  of  Paris — he  made  her  the  heroine 
of  his  book  under  the  name  of  La  Grivotte.  Zola 
describes  with  the  minutest  details  all  the  symptoms 
presented  by  “this  girl  of  more  than  thirty — whose 
curly  hair  and  flaming  eyes  made  her  almost  beautiful 
— always  sweating,  breathing  with  difficulty,  cough¬ 
ing  as  if  to  cough  her  heart  out — cavities,  you  know  ! 
— she  can  walk  no  longer,  and  eats  almost  nothing.” 
In  a  word,  the  author  is  quite  convinced  of  the  gravity 
and  the  incurability  of  Marie  Lebranchu’s  disease, 
which  was  phthisis  at  its  last  stage ;  there  was  spitting 
of  blood,  pus,  and  tubercle  bacilli  in  the  sputum. 

Zola  knew  and  said  that  the  patient’s  condition  was 
hopeless,  and  he  does  all  that  is  possible  to  make  his 
readers  share  his  conviction.  Then  he  recounts  the 


c 


20  THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 

cure  of  La  Grivotte;  how  she  was  scarcely  immersed 
in  the  piscine,  when,  as  if  impelled  by  some  sudden 
stimulus,  she  raised  herself,  crying  out :  ‘  ‘  I  am  cured  !  ’  ’ 
He  followed  her  to  the  Medical  Bureau,  the  doors  of 
which  were  widely  opened  to  him.  He  assisted  at  the 
official  discussion  made  by  more  than  twenty  doctors, 
who  testified  to  the  sudden  disappearance  of  all  the 
lesions  in  the  lungs,  and  was  a  witness  of  this  veritable 
resurrection.  Finally,  he  saw  her  that  same  evening 
in  the  torchlight  procession,  when  she  appeared  to 
have  regained  all  her  strength,  and  remarked  that  “if 
the  blessed  Virgin  had  given  a  ball,  La  Grivotte  would 
have  danced  the  whole  night.” 

Zola  described  a  miracle,  a  true  miracle ;  but  as  he 
did  not  wish  this  at  any  price,  he  pretends  that  no 
miracle  took  place,  that  the  cure  of  Marie  Lebranchu 
was  an  illusion,  nothing  but  a  passing  amelioration. 
He  gets  rid  of  the  patient,  who  would  have  been  some¬ 
what  troublesome  to  him,  and  depicts  how  in  the  train 
the  terrible  malady  recommences,  she  spits  blood 
abundantly,  and  dies  of  consumption  almost  as  soon 
as  she  reaches  Paris. 

Well,  as  a  matter  of  fact  the  cure  of  La  Grivotte 
was  a  permanent  one :  there  was  no  illusion  about  it. 
Zola's  pretence  that  his  heroine  died  after  her  journey 
from  Lourdes  is  an  absolute  falsehood.  The  sudden 
cure  of  Marie  Lebranchu’s  tuberculous  lesions  was  as 
supernatural  in  its  persistence  as  in  its  instantaneity. 
The  cure  was  absolutely  definite,  for  it  stood  the  test 
of  time. 

Marie  Lebranchu  married,  and  becoming  a  widow, 
did  not  die  in  1892,  but  on  August  11,  1920,  twenty- 


THE  FACTS 


21 


eight  years  after  her  cure.  She  died  piously  with  the 
Religious  of  the  Good  Shepherd  at  Angers,  by  whom 
she  had  been  brought  up,  and  with  whom  she  lived 
after  the  death  of  her  husband. 

At  Lourdes,  the  most  diverse  and  serious  diseases 
are  cured  by  a  supernatural  force  which  acts  when, 
where,  or  as  it  will,  either  suddenly  repairing  diseased 
organs,  eliminating  morbid  material,  or  creating  new 
living  matter. 

These  manifestations  of  supernatural  power,  sus¬ 
pending  or  reversing  at  will  Nature’s  laws,  act  beyond 
our  prevision  or  calculation.  In  the  cures  at  Lourdes 
not  all  are  favoured.  Why  does  this  one  rather  than 
that  recover  health?  Are  they  always  those  who  are 
more  worthy  ?  By  no  means ;  sometimes  the  in¬ 
different  or  even  the  enemies  of  religion  are  cured ! 
Here  we  are  in  the  presence  of  mystery,  of  insoluble 
problems. 

Whatever  may  be  the  cause,  one  fact  is  certain- — that 
on  the  banks  of  the  Gave  cures  of  supposed  incurable 
diseases  do  take  place,  the  cure  taking  place  in  a  time 
manifestly  insufficient  to  produce  natural  cure.  In 
these  cases  there  appears  to  be  a  change  in  the  whole 
constitution,  for  not  only  is  the  disease  cured,  but  the 
patient  is  protected  from  all  return  of  that  particular 
ailment.  What  medical  treatment  is  capable  of  giving 
such  a  result  ? 

To  reply  to  this  question,  a  definite  conclusion,  and 
not  some  half-truth,  should  be  reached.  In  face  of 
such  facts  the  answer  should  be  either  affirmative  or 
negative.  The  problem  of  Lourdes  is  clear  and  pre¬ 
cise.  The  solution  is  not  to  be  reached  by  multiplying 


22 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


theories,  heaping  up  hypotheses,  and  elaborating  data. 
The  facts  are  attested  by  numerous  witnesses;  they 
should  be  examined  after  putting  away  preconceived 
opinions  and  convictions;  they  should  be  examined 
clinically,  following  a  definite  scientific  method.  If 
this  is  done,  then  logically  and  irresistibly  it  will  be 
recognised  that  the  limits  of  Nature  and  Science  are 
passed  at  Lourdes. 

II 

It  is  not  difficult  to  understand  the  resistance  that 
reason  makes  to  the  facts  of  Lourdes;  it  is  easy  to 
grasp,  also,  how  difficult  it  is  for  the  medical  pro¬ 
fession  to  reject  knowledge  acquired  by  study  and 
experience.  Tumours  disappear  in  the  piscine.1  Un¬ 
healed  fractures  of  long  standing  suddenly  unite.2 
Wounds  cicatrise  in  a  second.3  Phthisical  cavities 
suddenly  dry  up.4  Lesions  of  the  optic  nerve 
are  radically  cured.5  Such  facts  as  these  cannot  be 
explained,  for  they  are  contrary  to  all  medical  ex¬ 
perience. 

1  Marie  Richard,  of  Vauvilliers.  Cancer  of  both  breasts. 
August  27,  1900. — Madame  Travaillard,  of  Tours.  Cancer  of 
the  uterus.  July  14,  1910. — Ren6  Clement,  of  Anglet,  Basses- 
Pyr^nees.  Cancer  of  the  face.  October  n,  1911. 

*  Pierre  De  Rudder.  April  7,  1875. — Marguerite  Verzier,  of 
Lyons.  July  9,  1909. 

3  Joacfiine  Defiant.  Ulcer  extending  from  knee  to  ankle. 
September  13,  1878. — Marie  Borel,  of  Cultur,  Lozere.  Ster¬ 
coral  fistulae.  August  22,  1907. — L^onie  Ldveque,  of  Nogent- 
le-Rotrou.  Frontal  sinus  disease.  July  18,  1908. 

4  Aurelie  Huprelle,  of  Beauvais.  August  25,  1895. — Sister 
St  Ambrose  of  Limoges.  August  23,  1911. 

5  Madame  Bir£,  of  Ste  Gemme,  Vendde.  August  5,  1909. — 
Henri  Lebacq,  of  Douai.  September  3,  1912. 


THE  FACTS 


23 


Should  such  cures  be  accepted  solely  on  hearsay 
evidence  ?  No,  they  should  be  personally  examined 
and  discussed.  The  great  majority  of  those,  how¬ 
ever,  who  deny  the  facts  of  Lourdes  have  never 
examined  them  on  the  spot.  They  started  with  pre¬ 
conceived  theories  against  the  miraculous,  and  have 
supported  their  theory  by  selecting  cases  which  did 
not  offer  sufficient  guarantees. 

Very  frequently  at  the  close  of  long  arguments,  of 
evidence  which  cannot  be  refuted,  they  say  with  a 
certain  hesitation :  “  Certainly,  what  you  tell  me  is 
most  extraordinary !  But — I  have  not  seen  it  for 
myself.” 

What  a  vast  number  of  things  we  believe  without 
having  seen  them  for  ourselves.  When  evidence 
comes  from  trustworthy  people;  when  it  is  not  the 
case  of  one  witness  {testis  nullus\  but  of  twenty  or  a 
hundred ;  when  the  evidence  reposes  not  on  one  fact, 
but  on  many  extending  over  a  long  series  of  years — 
is  it  not  then  more  reasonable  to  believe  ? 

Supposing  that  one  doctor  only  affirmed  that  in  a 
certain  case  or  series  of  cases  the  ordinary  laws  of 
medicine  were  violated,  and  that  he  had  observed 
phenomena  in  absolute  contradiction  to  normal 
clinical  facts :  it  would  certainly  be  quite  reasonable 
to  doubt.  It  might  be  asked  if  he  had  not  been  under 
some  illusion,  had  some  fixed  idea,  or  been  in  definite 
error.  But  when  it  is  a  case  of  observation  concern¬ 
ing  cures  which  have  stood  the  test  of  time,  and  have 
every  guarantee  of  authenticity,  then  it  is  not  fair 
to  doubt  the  good  faith  and  observation  of  so  many 
witnesses. 


24 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


A  categorical  denial  is  very  easy,  nothing  more  so ; 
but  then,  we  must  admit  that  all  the  doctors  who  have 
looked  after  the  patients,  and  have  given  evidence 
of  what  they  have  personally  seen,  must  either  be 
ignorant  or  impostors;  that  all  those  who  have 
examined  the  results  carefully  and  believe  in  these 
supernatural  cures  are  either  deceivers  or  deceived. 

A  certain  Dr.  R - ,  who  published  a  large  work 

entitled  The  Truth  about  Lourdes  A  belonged  to  this 
category.  The  doctor  tells  us  that  his  aim  was  to 
demonstrate  that  there  was  nothing  extraordinary 
about  the  apparitions  of  Lourdes,  because  Bernadette 
was  hysterical;  consequently,  there  was  no  sufficient 
basis  for  Lourdes  to  become  a  place  of  pilgrimage. 
The  reason  he  undertook  this  laborious  task  was,  he 
frankly  tells  us,  because  “he  who  possesses  even  a 
part  of  the  truth  has  the  duty  to  make  this  known  to 
others.” 

Dr.  R - ,  then,  considered  it  to  be  his  duty  to 

reveal  the  truth,  supported  as  it  was  by  the  teaching 
of  Science.  How  did  he  set  about  it  ?  Did  he  go  to 
Lourdes  to  study  the  cures  ? 

Not  at  all.  In  the  quiet  of  his  study  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Mediterranean,  he  accumulated  the  neces¬ 
sary  documents  which  proved  the  “  dense  ignorance  ” 
of  everybody  who  had  anything  to  do  with  making 
Lourdes  a  place  of  pilgrimage.  To  support  his 
theory  “that  neurotic  patients  only  have  been,  and 
can  be  cured  at  Lourdes,’ *  does  he  reply  to  the  alleged 
facts  by  bringing  counter-evidence?  Against  the 
examinations  of  the  Bureau  does  he  oppose  other 

1  Paris:  E.  Nourry,  1910. 


THE  FACTS 


25 


examinations  ?  Not  at  all.  A  friori  he  denies  the 
miraculous,  and  supports  his  thesis  on  what  he  deems 
to  be  irrefutable  arguments;  but  these  arguments  of 
his  rest  on  no  serious  base. 

According  to  him,  the  majority  of  his  colleagues 
who  have  expressed  their  belief  in  the  supernatural 
are  either  ignorant  or  in  bad  faith,  and  the  certificates 
of  those  who  are  conscientious  have  been  falsified. 
(By  whom  ?  Doubtless  by  the  doctors  at  the  Medical 
Bureau  at  Lourdes.)  Others  have  signed  certificates 
of  cure,  thinking  that  if  they  did  not  do  so  their 
practice  would  suffer  to  some  extent  from  the  bigotry 
of  their  patients. 

The  assertions,  therefore,  of  only  a  small  number 
can  be  considered  as  worthy  of  credence,  and  this  is 
insufficient.  The  ordinary  practitioner  who  attests 
that  his  patient  was  cured  at  the  Grotto  knows  per¬ 
fectly  well  that  the  cure  took  place  beforehand. 

According  to  Dr.  R - ,  when  four  phthisical 

patients  from  that  model  establishment  Villepinte 
were  cured  in  1898,  the  doctors  of  Villepinte  must 
have  made  an  error  in  diagnosis;  .  .  .  these  cases 
were  hysterical  ones  simulating  phthisis.  And  so 

on  .  .  .  Dr.  R - has  previously  told  his  readers 

that  the  patients'  cured  are  all  hysterical ;  yet  in  spite 
of  this,  amongst  the  cured  are  a  large  number  of 
malingerers,  very  skilful  in  deceiving  others. 

When  this  distinguished  practitioner  who  pos¬ 
sesses  “  part  of  the  truth  ”  discusses  a  case,  his  mode 
of  procedure  is  almost  invariably  the  same.  He 
strives  to  demonstrate  that  the  malady  cured  was 
some  hysterical  manifestation.  For  this  he  gives  no 


26 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


proof,  but  confines  himself  to  doubtful  hypotheses 
and  vague  assertions,  supported  by  such  phrases 
as  “Who  tells  us  that  .  .  “This  is  without 
doubt  .  .  .,”  “It  is  probable  .  .  .,”  “The  affair  must 
have  happened  in  this  way  .  .  .,”  “I  maintain 
that  .  .  .,”  “I  believe  I  have  demonstrated  .  . 

Finally,  Dr.  R - ,  in  the  name  of  truth,  arrives 

at  the  following  wonderful  conclusion :  “  Since  the 
creation  of  Lourdes  some  two  thousand  sick  have 
recovered  their  health  there,  yet  more  than  four 
millions  have  come  there  uselessly  .  .  .  And  these 
four  millions  are  the  poo]  that  the  heavens  are 
empty .” 

It  is  not  sufficient  to  build  up  a  system  on  negation, 
and  to  make  hypotheses.  Careful  and  conscientious 
examinations  cannot  be  replied  to  simply  by  assert¬ 
ing  “bad  faith/’  “personal  conviction.”  Surely  it 
is  a  curious  fact,  how  those  who  refuse  to  believe  in 
the  supernatural  never  respect  the  opinions  of  those 
who  do,  and  at  the  same  time  are  never  silent  about 
it.  They  should  understand  that  their  action,  far 
from  destroying  belief  in  the  miraculous,  calls  atten¬ 
tion  to  it;  by  never  ceasing  to  attack  the  super¬ 
natural,  they  show  how  much  importance  they  attach 
to  its  manifestations. 

Ill 

If  the  archives  of  the  Medical  Bureau  are  consulted, 
hundreds  of  medical  signatures  are  to  be  seen,  coming 
from  all  countries,  giving  detailed  and  authentic 
descriptions  of  the  various  cases.  The  names  of 
many  distinguished  in  medicine  may  be  seen  there, 


THE  FACTS 


27 


who  have  pronounced  definitely  as  to  the  incurability 
of  certain  cases,  and  thus  have  contributed  definite 
and  exact  scientific  evidence. 

So  many  independent  medical  witnesses  coming 
from  various  schools,  the  opinions  of  those  most 
highly  qualified  to  judge,  should,  one  would  imagine, 
afford  sufficient  guarantees.  But  this  is  by  no  means 
the  case.  The  witnesses  are  rejected  at  the  outset, 
the  most  formal  attestations  are  thrown  to  one  side, 
the  facts  are  judged  from  a  distance,  and  all  sorts  of 
theories  are  brought  in,  which  will  permit  such  inter¬ 
pretations  as  the  author  desires;  or  the  facts  are 
co-ordinated  according  to  some  rationalistic  or 
materialistic  idea. 

Is  it  credible  that  all  doctors  who  believe  should 
discard  their  science,  all  competence  of  judgement, 
and  observation  of  facts,  when  they  speak  of  what 
they  have  seen  themselves,  and  what  they  aver  cannot 
be  explained  according  to  the  laws  of  science  ? 

Any  sophism  is  apparently  good  enough  to  avoid 
study  and  discussion :  Here,  for  instance,  is  a 
rapidly  growing  tumour,  which  ulcerates,  is  accom¬ 
panied  by  induration  of  the  glands,  and  which 
recurs  after  removal,  causing  also  that  constitutional 
change  which  is  called  cachexia.  Such  a  tumour 
presents  clinically  every  indication  that  it  is  malig¬ 
nant,  and  every  doctor  would  declare  that  it  is  in¬ 
curable.  This  growth  is,  however,  cured  suddenly 
and  completely  at  Lourdes :  immediately  dis¬ 
cussion  is  refused;  it  is  asserted  that  the  tumour 
was  perfectly  curable,  and  to  avoid  examination  the 
objectors  shelter  themselves  behind  absence  of  labora- 


28  THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 

tory  examination,  microscopic  and  radiographic 
proof,  etc. 

Again,  if  the  gravity  and  incurability  of  some 
illness  has  been  affirmed  judicially  on  oath,  after 
evidence  given  by  sworn  experts,  they  reply  that 
Justice  is  no  more  infallible  than  Medicine. 

If  experts  base  their  conclusion  on  the  symptoms, 
extent,  and  gravity  of  some  disease,  they  reply  that 
errors  of  diagnosis  are  frequent,  and  always  prob¬ 
able  !  But  what  is  pathology  based  upon  ?  Surely 
upon  the  descriptions  given  by  observers  of 
symptoms,  etc.,  which  testify  by  their  presence  and 
regularity  to  its  authenticity. 

When  some  disease  is  described  by  a  doctor  ac¬ 
cording  to  methods  which  govern  medical  examina¬ 
tions,  the  fact  he  announces  cannot  be  denied  with¬ 
out  also  throwing  doubt  upon  all  clinical  and  patho¬ 
logical  work. 

There  are  some  maladies  where  the  diagnosis  may 
be  established  absolutely  positively,  especially  when 
the  disease  is  advanced.  Such,  for  instance,  are  ad¬ 
vanced  cases  of  pulmonary  tuberculosis.  Even  those 
outside  the  medical  profession  can  often  recognise, 
from  the  patient’s  appearance,  the  nature,  and  to  a 
certain  extent  the  duration,  of  the  disease. 

The  doctor  who  can  put  forward  an  erroneous 
diagnosis,  when  tubercular  bacilli  and  tuberculous 
lesions  have  been  present  for  years,  must  be  grossly 
ignorant.  The  signs  of  advanced  trouble  with  cavi¬ 
tation  in  the  lungs  can  be  distinguished  by  means  of 
auscultation  even  by  the  student,  and  when  these 
are  accompanied  by  fever,  night  sweats,,  tubercle 


THE  FACTS 


29 

bacilli  in  the  sputum,  loss  of  appetite  and  strength, 
the  diagnosis  is  certain,  and  the  prognosis  usually 
fatal. 

When  the  lung  is  destroyed,  when  a  generalisation 
of  the  tuberculous  process  has  overcome  the  resistive 
mechanisms  of  the  body,  suggestion  or  nervous  shock 
is  incapable  of  replacing  purulent  and  destroyed 
tissues  by  healthy  tissue. 

At  Lourdes,  however,  patients  who  arrive  in  the 
last  stage  of  phthisis,  almost  in  their  agony,  sud¬ 
denly  declare  themselves  cured,  and  experience  an 
unaccustomed  feeling  of  health.  Those  who  had 
been  confined  to  bed  for  months  suddenly  rise  and 
commence  to  walk.  Their  dyspnoea  has  ceased, 
giving  place  to  full  and  normal  respirations.  Their 
temperature  has  fallen,  appetite  returned.  Ausculta¬ 
tion,  to  start  with,  perhaps  reveals  still  some  slight 
signs — impairment  of  resonance,  a  few  rales;  but  the 
principal  signs  have  disappeared,  the  cavities  are 
repaired  in  a  moment,  and  their  cure  is  definitely 
confirmed  in  a  few  days,  sometimes  a  few  hours,  when 
no  lesion  can  be  found  and  examination  of  the 
sputum  reveals  no  bacilli. 

I  give  here  a  resume  of  the  official  notes  of  two 
cures  of  pulmonary  tubercle,  where  the  return  to 
health  took  place  just  as  I  have  described  above. 
The  two  patients  had  been  treated,  the  one  in  both 
military  and  civil  hospitals,  the  other  by  several 
practitioners  of  her  native  town.  The  details  which 
are  given,  indicating  the  nature  and  extent  of  the 
disease  and  the  completeness  of  the  cure,  seem  to 
me  to  offer  all  the  necessary  guarantees. 


30 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


I.  LOUIS  ThurEL,  aged  twenty-three ,  of  Verdun. 
Pulmonary  tuberculosis.  French  National  Pilgrim¬ 
age,  1913.  (Nos.  40  and  77  of  the  Register  of  1913.) 

Louis  Thurel  arrived  at  Lourdes  on  August  21, 
I9I3»  with  the  French  National  Pilgrimage.  His 
papers  were  accompanied  by  the  following  certificate 
from  Dr.  Guerin,  physician  to  the  hospital  of  Verdun  : 

“  I,  the  undersigned,  certify  that  M.  L.  F.  Thurel, 
declared  unfit  for  military  service  by  reason  of  pul¬ 
monary  tuberculosis,  presents  the  characteristic  signs 
of  chronic  bronchitis,  accompanied  by  abundant 
expectoration.  He  has  lost  much  weight,  and  his 
strength  has  much  diminished. 

“(Signed)  Dr.  Gu£rin. 

“  Verdun, 

“July  17, 1913.” 

It  is  frequently  asserted  with  regard  to  Lourdes 
that  many  of  the  cures  possess  certificates  lacking 
both  accuracy  and  essential  particulars.  This  can¬ 
not  be  applied  to  this  case,  for  in  the  “dossier”  of 
the  patient  there  is  an  unassailable  piece  of  evidence ; 
this  is  a  certificate  from  the  Military  Examining  Board 
of  Verdun,  dated  May  7,  1913,  and  this  leaves  no 
doubt  about  the  nature  of  the  pulmonary  lesions.  In 
the  military  hospital  the  patient  had  an  evening 
temperature  of  38°  to  390  C.,  a  continual  cough,  much 
insomnia,  abundant  expectoration,  with  numerous 
bacilli  in  the  sputum. 

The  gravity  of  the  case  is  shown  from  the  fact  that 
when  he  had  been  formally  discharged,  despite  the 


THE  FACTS 


3i 


strictness  of  the  military  regulations  on  this  head, 
he  had  nevertheless  to  be  retained  in  the  wards  of 
the  military  hospital  for  three  months,  his  state  ab¬ 
solutely  precluding  his  transference  to  the  civil 
hospital.  His  transfer  only  took  place  on  August  I . 

It  was  on  March  25,  1913,  that  Louis  Thurel 
was  admitted  to  the  Regimental  Infirmary  with 
the  diagnosis  of  pleurisy  on  the  left  side.  On 
April  10  he  was  sent  to  the  hospital  with  the  diag¬ 
nosis  of  “  dry  pleurisy.”  Soon  definite  signs  of 
tubercular  trouble  manifested  themselves,  and  became 
so  serious  that  on  May  7  he  was  invalided  out  of  the 
Army.  It  was  in  this  very  precarious  condition  that 
the  young  man  was  admitted  into  the  National  Pil¬ 
grimage  train,  bringing  with  him  the  certificate  from 
Dr.  Guerin.  The  journey  down  to  the  Pyrenees  was 
very  trying,  and  he  arrived  in  a  state  of  extreme 
weakness.  The  dyspnoea  was  markedly  increased. 
He  coughed  so  much,  and  respiration  was  so  em¬ 
barrassed,  that  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  him 
to  have  made  any  further  journey. 

Directly  on  his  arrival  Louis  Thurel  was  taken  to 
the  Grotto.  The  coolness  of  the  night  air  caused 
some  pain  in  his  chest.  He  was  immersed  three 
times  in  the  water  of  the  piscine,  but  felt  only  its  icy 
coldness.  At  the  fourth  immersion,  however,  the 
water  seemed  to  him  to  be  agreeably  warm;  he  was 
able  to  say  a  prayer  clearly  and  articulately;  at  the 
same  time  he  had  an  indefinable  feeling  of  being 
considerably  better.  On  the  following  day,  at  the 
Procession  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  he  experienced 
an  unusual  interior  sensation,  which  was  followed  by 


32 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 

a  feeling  of  health.  When  he  returned  to  the  hospital 
he  seemed  unable  to  satisfy  his  appetite,  to  the  great 
amazement  of  his  neighbours.  On  the  following 
morning  everyone  was  surprised  at  the  wonderful 
change  for  the  better  in  his  appearance.  At  the 
Medical  Bureau  on  Sunday,  August  24,  the  doctors 
entrusted  with  his  examination  could  find  no  altera¬ 
tion  of  the  respiratory  rhythm,  or  any  trace  of  lesion 
on  the  right  side.  At  the  left  there  was  slight  dulness 
at  the  apex,  the  breathing  was  a  little  harsh,  but 
without  any  dry  or  moist  sounds.  One  of  the  doctors 
present,  a  professor  at  the  Medical  Naval  School, 
who  examined  the  patient,  insisted  on  the  fact  that 
signs  of  consolidation  still  existed  at  the  left  apex, 
and  watched  very  attentively  as  to  what  would  be 
the  conclusion  of  the  Bureau. 

The  following  conclusions  were  adopted  : 

(1)  Instantaneous  disappearance  of  certain  lesions 
characteristic  of  phthisis  in  its  third  stage. 

(2)  No  definite  conclusion  can  be  arrived  at. 
The  patient  must  be  seen  later. 

(3)  If  the  healing  process  already  commenced 
progresses  and  maintains  itself,  it  cannot  be 
attributed  to  a  natural  process. 

Three  months  later,  on  November  30,  at  Paris,  Dr. 
de  Grandmaison  de  Bruno,  our  excellent  friend  and 
colleague,  presented  Louis  Thurel  at  the  annual  Re¬ 
union  to  an  audience  of  five  hundred  assembled  for 
these  “Assizes  of  the  Faith”;  the  young  man  showed 
absolutely  no  sign  of  any  pulmonary  lesion. 

Distrustful  of  his  own  examination,  Dr.  Grand¬ 
maison  then  asked  one  of  his  young  colleagues  there 


MLLE.  JULIETTE  NANCEY  OF  CHAUMONT 

AUGUST  19,  1921. 


(haute-marne), 


mam 


1  \ 


mm 


■*  *» 


THE  FACTS 


33 

to  examine  the  case.  This  gave  similar  results.  The 
report  of  Dr.  Grandmaison  was  as  follows  : 

“At  the  present  time  it  is  impossible,  from  the 
physical  signs,  to  say  that  Thurel  has  been  or  is  now 
tuberculous.  He  has  gained  seven  kilogrammes  in 
weight  since  his  discharge  from  the  Army,  and  is 
capable  of  undertaking  walks  of  twenty  miles  or  so. 
These  are  not  the  signs  of  illness,  and  especially  of 
pulmonary  tuberculosis.” 

II.  Juliette  Nancey,  aged  thirty ,  of  Chaumont 
(Haute-Mar tie).  Fulmonary tuberculosis.  TheFrench 
National  Pilgrimage ,  1921.  (Dossier  No.  19  of  1921.) 

Mademoiselle  Juliette  Nancey  has  for  the  past 
eleven  years  had  tuberculous  trouble  in  both  lungs. 

In  1910  she  had  some  pulmonary  congestion.  In 
1 91 1  symptoms  of  tuberculous  laryngitis  presented 
themselves,  accompanied  by  haemoptysis.  Her 
medical  attendant,  Dr.  Ripaut,  then  gave  a  very 
gloomy  prognosis,  saying  that  there  was  little  proba¬ 
bility  of  her  living  more  than  six  months.  That 
same  year  in  the  course  of  a  pilgrimage  to  Lourdes, 
the  laryngeal  trouble  improved  very  considerably, 
and  the  voice  became  normal.  Soon,  however,  after 
an  attack  of  bronchitis,  pleurisy  appeared  on  both 
sides  of  the  chest. 

In  1914  there  was  more  haemoptysis,  and  the 
patient’s  life  was  despaired  of.  Following  what 
seemed  to  be  a  meningeal  attack  and  an  intestinal 
haemorrhage,  the  Last  Sacraments  were  administered. 

Dr.  Fenestre  declared  at  this  time  that,  outside  a 
miracle,  recovery  was  hopeless.  A  severe  enteritis 

3 


34 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


now  complicated  the  other  troubles.  In  June,  1920, 
Juliette  Nancey  had  to  take  to  her  bed,  and  there 
she  remained  until  the  day  of  her  cure.  She  was 
attacked  with  a  specific  bronchitis  of  both  apices, 
accompanied  by  haemoptysis. 

The  patient  reached  Lourdes  on  August  19,  1921, 
with  the  49th  French  National  Pilgrimage.  Her 
weakness  was  then  extreme,  and  she  was  almost  un¬ 
conscious. 

Her  papers  contained  the  following  two  certificates  : 

(1)  “Mademoiselle  Nancey  is  suffering  from  active 
tuberculosis,  and  has  a  lesion  in  the  superior  lobe  of 
the  right  lung ;  the  tuberculosis  has  progressed  slowly 
during  the  last  four  years.  She  has  spitting  of  blood, 
progressive  wasting,  fever,  loss  of  appetite,  etc. 

“(Signed)  Dr.  Malingre. 

“Chaumont  (Haute-Marne), 

“  June  16,  1914." 

(2)  “Mademoiselle  Nancey  is  suffering  from  a 
chronic  bronchitis  of  both  apices.  Her  general  health 
is  extremely  feeble,  necessitating  continual  rest  in 
bed.  Cough,  with  slight  expectoration,  occasional 
haemoptysis;  complete  absence  of  menstruation. 
From  the  beginning  of  June,  1921,  she  has  remained 
almost  totally  oblivious  to  her  surroundings.  She  is 
fed  with  difficulty.  It  would  seem  that  there  are  some 
signs  of  a  tuberculous  meningitis. 

(Signed)  Dr.  Weil. 

“  Chaumont, 

“  July  4,  1921.” 


THE  FACTS 


35 


On  August  19,  at  about  five  o’clock  in  the  after¬ 
noon,  Juliette  Nancey  was  carried  to  the  piscine,  in 
the  same  semi-unconscious  state.  Suddenly  she  ex¬ 
perienced  a  wonderful  sensation  of  well-being,  and 
declared  that  she  was  cured.  The  drowsiness  disap¬ 
peared  completely  and  suddenly;  she  was  able  to 
respire  deeply ;  and  the  menstruation,  which  had  dis¬ 
appeared  for  a  year,  was  re-established  painlessly 
immediately  after  the  bath. 

At  the  Medical  Bureau  on  August  21,  her  examina¬ 
tion  was  entrusted  to  Dub^dat,  of  St  Sever  (Landes) ; 
Rouquette,  of  Meze  (Herault);  Michelet,  of  Bor¬ 
deaux;  Coulange,  of  Marseilles;  Turo,  of  Barce¬ 
lona. 

The  following  report  was  drawn  up  : 

“  Lungs. — At  the  apex  of  the  right  lung,  both 
anteriorly  and  posteriorly,  there  is  some  ‘cog¬ 
wheeled  ’  respiration ;  otherwise  the  respirations  are 
normal.  There  is  some  slight  dulness  below  the 
clavicle.  The  voice-sounds  in  the  scapular  region  are 
normal.  Left  lung  seems  to  be  normal. 

“Heart. — Beating  rather  forcibly  and  hurriedly, 
under  the  influence  of  her  emotion.  No  abnormal 
sounds. 

“  General  Condition . — Temperature  in  the  mouth, 
36°  C.  Very  marked  wasting.  The  patient  states 
that  she  has  considerable  increase  of  appetite.  No 
more  somnolence.  Is  in  good  spirits,  and  has  a 
feeling  of  health.  During  the  examination,  which 
lasted  an  hour,  there  was  no  coughing  or  expectora¬ 
tion.” 

The  report  having  been  read  before  the  doctors 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


36 

present  at  the  Bureau,  the  following  conclusions  were 
unanimously  adopted  : 

(1)  The  illness  undoubtedly  existed. 

(2)  There  is  an  apparent  cure. 

(3)  It  will  be  necessary  to  wait,  and  make  the  final 
conclusion  in  six  months  or  a  year. 

On  the  following  day,  August  22,  Juliette  Nancey 
returned  to  the  Medical  Bureau.  There  a  fresh  ex¬ 
amination  was  made,  and  this  showed  that  the  cure 
commenced  the  evening  before  had  been  completed  in 
less  than  twenty-four  hours. 

The  slight  dulness  beneath  the  right  clavicle  had 
completely  disappeared.  No  abnormal  signs  were 
discoverable  and  the  respiration  was  the  same  on 
both  sides. 

In  consequence  of  this,  the  following  conclusions 
were  adopted,  and  added  to  the  notes  of  her  case : 

(1)  The  illness  undoubtedly  existed. 

(2)  There  is  a  complete  cure. 

(3)  This  cure  cannot  be  attributed  to  a  natural 
process. 

In  the  course  of  the  enquiry,  however,  the  examin¬ 
ing  doctors,  thinking  that  some  points  of  the  history 
as  given  by  Mademoiselle  Nancey  were  not  suffici¬ 
ently  clear,  asked  for  further  details  from  the  doctors 
whose  certificates  were  contained  in  her  notes. 

Dr.  Malingre  replied  “  that  he  had  attended  Made¬ 
moiselle  Nancey  before  the  War  for  several  abundant 
hasmoptyses ;  she  had  a  definite  localised  lesion  of  the 
lung,  which  had  also  been  attested  by  Dr.  Mougeot, 
who  had  seen  her  in  consultation.” 

Doctor  Weil  wrote  on  August  29 :  “  The  terms  of 


THE  FACTS 


37 


the  certificate  which  I  wrote  at  the  request  of  Made¬ 
moiselle  Nancey  before  her  departure  for  Lourdes 
were  scrupulously  correct.” 

On  July  15,  1922,  the  same  doctor  stated  : 

“  Mademoiselle  Nancey’ s  health  is  satisfactory 
from  all  points  of  view.  Respiration  is  normal,  and 
the  lung  signs  which  were  present  during  the  first  six 
months  of  1921  have  disappeared. 

“(Signed)  Dr.  Weil.” 

In  the  two  cures  that  I  have  just  described  it  seems 
to  me  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  combat  either  the 
facts  or  the  diagnosis :  in  both  cases  they  had  been 
attested  by  many  examinations  made  by  different 
medical  men. 

In  the  case  of  Louis  Thurel,  we  have  the  hospital 
evidence,  in  addition  to  that  of  the  Army  Examining 
Board  which  gave  him  his  discharge.  With  Juliette 
Nancey  we  have  for  several  years  the  evidence  of 
different  practitioners. 

At  Lourdes  the  examinations  were  made  by 
medical  men  not  attached  to  the  Medical  Bureau, 
and  simply  designated  to  examine  the  cases  because 
they  happened  to  be  present.  Their  conclusions 
were  also  adopted  by  the  other  doctors  there. 

In  both  cases  some  lesions  were  cured,  and  those 
only  partially  so  had  totally  disappeared  either  the 
next  day,  or  in  a  very  few  days.  These  results  were 
obtained  in  the  case  of  patients  who  were  much 
emaciated,  and  giving  evidence  of  a  generalisation  of 
their  tuberculous  condition;  that  is  to  say,  they  were 
in  the  worst  possible  condition  for  cure. 


38 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


It  is,  then,  permissible  to  state,  in  these  two  cases, 
whose  medical  histories  I  have  retraced,  that  the 
sudden  return  to  a  state  of  health  surpasses  the  limits 
of  both  nature  and  science. 


IV 

Science  is  unable  to  replace  lungs  excavated  by 
cavities,  and  infiltrated  by  tubercle,  with  healthy 
lung  tissue.  It  is  true  that  in  our  time  science  has 
made  wondrous  strides.  Steam  and  electricity  have 
conquered  distance,  the  microscope  has  unveiled  the 
secrets  of  life  in  the  infinitely  small,  X-rays  and 
radium  have  produced  astonishing  results.  Never¬ 
theless,  science  has  to  halt  before  certain  changes 
effected  in  the  human  body,  she  is  powerless  to  ex¬ 
plain  facts  scientifically  demonstrated,  and  sometimes 
finds  herself  actually  contradicted.  With  all  her 
resources  she  is  incapable  of  annihilating  instantane¬ 
ously  some  lesion  which  has  destroyed  an  organ ;  she 
has  never  restored  health  and  life  to  some  consump¬ 
tive  almost  at  the  last  gasp.  Facts  such  as  these 
have,  however,  taken  place  at  Lourdes,  and  the  divine 
power  continues  to  manifest  itself  there.  Human 
science,  however  perfect  it  may  be,  has  never  attained 
such  results. 

Many  cases  of  tubercle  come  to  Lourdes  every  year 
to  implore  their  cure  but  are  not  healed.  One  case, 
however,  which  presents  lesions  in  the  so-called  third 
stage,  and  is  definitely  cured  in  a  few  minutes,  is  a 
proof  of  supernatural  intervention.  The  statistics  of 
Lourdes  contain  not  one  but  several  such  cases. 


THE  FACTS 


39 

What  doctor  is  there  who  can  assert  that  he  has  cured 
such  a  case  ? 

Certainly  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  prove  that 
there  is  any  organic  lesion  which  with  appropriate 
remedies,  careful  treatment  and  time  may  not  be 
cured.  It  can  nevertheless  be  asserted  that,  without 
treatment,  without  that  necessary  factor  of  time,  a 
return  to  perfect  health  without  passing  through  a 
stage  of  convalescence  is,  materially  speaking,  im¬ 
possible.  In  definite  organic  maladies  of  the  stomach, 
such  as  ulcer  and  cancer,  the  lack  of  food  and  the 
abundant  haemorrhages  are  promptly  followed  by 
wasting  and  cachexia :  the  patients  are  emaciated  to 
the  last  degree,  and  have  the  aspect  of  veritable 
skeletons.  In  such  cases  a  speedy  fatal  termination 
seems  inevitable.  Yet  at  Lourdes  they  have  been 
cured  practically  instantaneously. 

We  do  not  as  yet  know  all  the  laws  of  Nature,  but 
at  least  this  is  certain  :  those  we  do  know,  Nature  will 
not  contradict  in  the  future.  Tuberculosis  in  the  last 
stage  and  cancer  are  at  present  considered  as  incur¬ 
able,  but  a  time  may  come  when,  owing  to  the  dis¬ 
covery  of  some  new  remedy,  some  serum  or  vaccine, 
we  may  even  then  cure  these  maladies.  But  actually 
such  a  remedy  has  not  been  found,  and  the  disap¬ 
pearance  of  such  a  disease  during  the  course  of  some 
novena  or  pilgrimage  constitutes  a  fact  which  is, 
humanly  speaking,  inexplicable.  Even  should  such 
remedies  be  discovered,  a  sudden  cure  such  as  those 
we  have  spoken  of  would  be  supernormal,  because  we 
know  that  repair  takes  place  according  to  definite 
laws,  and  these  laws  demand  a  certain  duration  of 


40  THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 

time  for  the  processes  of  nutrition  and  cell  multiplica¬ 
tion. 

V 

The  adversaries  of  Lourdes  assert  that  only 
nervous  cases  are  cured  there.  It  is  easy  to  refute 
this  assertion;  we  can  demonstrate  the  cure  of  many 
varieties  of  organic  lesions,  which  have  been  subjected 
to  the  most  scrupulous  enquiry  both  as  to  their  diag¬ 
nosis  and  sudden  cure.  “  The  faith  which  cures  ”  can 
only  act  suddenly  in  the  case  of  functional  nervous 
maladies.  Eighty  out  of  a  hundred  cures  at  Lourdes 
are  organic  lesions,  in  which  suggestion  and  hypnosis, 
even  if  they  may  aid  in  some  cases  the  process  of  heal¬ 
ing,  yet  can  do  comparatively  little,  and  then  need 
a  definite  time.  At  Lourdes  there  are  records  of  the 
cure  of  pulmonary  and  osseous  tuberculosis,  of  definite 
organic  lesions  of  the  spinal  cord,  diseases  of  the  optic 
disc,  etc. 

Those  who  wish  to  make  the  nervous  system  ac¬ 
countable  for  all  the  cures  have  great  difficulty  in 
bringing  various  diseases  into  this  category,  and  when 
they  are  unable  to  do  this  they  simply  reject  evidence 
which  does  not  coincide  with  their  preconceived 
notions  and  theories.  If  it  is  a  question  of  tuber¬ 
culous  hip  disease,  or  the  cure  of  Pott’s  disease  of  the 
spine,  what  do  our  adversaries  say  then  ?  In  spite  of 
the  evidence,  they  make  an  appeal  to  nervous  in¬ 
fluences.  It  must  have  been  a  case  of  “nervous  hip” 
or  spinal  pain  of  an  hysterical  nature.  But  there  are 
cases  of  caries  where  the  resulting  suppuration  tracks 
down  along  the  muscles,  an  abscess  collects  and  dis¬ 
charges  externally;  there  are  cases  of  hip  disease 


THE  FACTS 


4i 


accompanied  by  necrosis  of  the  bone,  where  Astulae 
communicate  with  the  interior  of  the  joint.1  When 
these  cases  are  cured  instantaneously,  what  sensible 
man,  who  is  loyal  at  the  same  time,  will  venture  to 
call  such  nervous  cases  ? 

According  to  the  recommendations  of  Pope  Bene¬ 
dict  XIV,  who  did  not  wish  that  the  term  “  miracle  ” 
should  be  applied  in  the  case  of  nervous  subjects,  it  is 
well  known  that  at  Lourdes  we  put  on  one  side  such 
cases,  observing  a  rigid  silence  in  those  in  which  there 
might  be  some  nervous  influence. 

At  Lourdes  we  do  undoubtedly  see  the  instan¬ 
taneous  cure  of  functional  disease,  similar  cases  to 
those  seen  in  our  hospitals,  and  at  the  Salpetriere : 
some  nervous  paralysis  suddenly  disappears  in  the 
piscine  or  during  the  passage  of  the  Blessed  Sacra¬ 
ment,  or  someone  recovers  his  speech  after  a  long 
interval. 

Such  cures  as  these  our  enemies  seize  upon,  to  sup¬ 
port  and  bolster  up  their  objections ;  but  I  repeat  that 
we  do  not  take  notice  of  them,  we  do  not  reckon  such 
in  our  statistics,  these  cases  are  never  officially 
published. 

Cures  of  this  kind,  even  if  instantaneous  and  per¬ 
manent,  can  never  be  regarded  as  certainly  miracu¬ 
lous.  It  may  be  that  for  the  patient  these  cures  are 
great  graces,  but,  medically  speaking,  we  cannot 
attribute  them  to  a  supernatural  power,  for  they  may 
be  caused  naturally. 

At  times  our  statistics  contain  notes  and  references 

1  Marguerite  Chauvet,  d’Alais.  Right-sided  hip  disease  with 
fistulas.  August  26,  1919. 


42 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


to  nervous  cases,  but  in  these  cases  the  patients  have 
been  cured  of  definite  organic  maladies  at  the  same 
time.  To  be  a  sufferer  from  hysteria  does  not  protect 
from  tuberculosis,  cancer,  or  fracture  of  a  limb.  If  in 
a  case  of  hysteria  a  tumour  disappeared  suddenly,  a 
fracture  was  consolidated  in  a  few  seconds,  or  ad¬ 
vanced  tuberculosis  was  suddenly  cured,  the  fact  is 
certainly  supernatural.  We  class  them  as  such, 
although  taking  care  in  the  notes  to  mention  the 
hysterical  symptoms.  This  is  a  matter  of  elementary 
good  faith,  for  it  is  obvious  that  all  the  cases  which 
manifest  nervous  symptoms  cannot  be  rejected. 

If  the  cure  is  purely  functional,  then  no  mention  is 
made  of  it.  And  yet,  may  there  not  be  nervous 
maladies  of  such  gravity  that  the  whole  organism  is 
affected  by  them?  Functional  lesions  that  occasion 
organic  alterations  before  which  Science  is  powerless  ? 

Those  who  wish  to  prove  that  all  the  maladies  cured 
at  Lourdes  are  nervous  cases  have  a  definite  end  in 
view,  and  that  is  to  demonstrate  that  the  subjects 
favoured  could  have  been  perfectly  cured  naturally. 
But  it  is  far  from  the  case  that  all  these  functional 
nervous  cases  are  easily  cured.  We  all  know,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  that  it  is  frequently  very  difficult. 

There  are,  for  example,  nervous  cases  caused  by 
traumatism,  by  some  great  shock  which  the  organism 
has  received;  as  a  result  the  various  bodily  functions 
and  the  whole  economy  suffer;  such  accidents  often 
cause  illnesses  which  are  almost  incurable,  and  are  often 
followed  by  death.  The  cure  of  Gabriel  Gargam  is  a 
case  in  point.  Here  was  a  postal  official  badly  injured 
in  a  railway  collision.  Paralysis,  followed  by 


MLLE.  ERNESTINE  GUILLOTEAU  OF  TAILLIS  (VENDfiE) 
AT  THE  MOMENT  OF  HEALING,  SEPTEMBER  8,  1908. 


THE  FACTS 


43 


gangrene,  had  reduced  him  to  a  moribund  condition ; 
yet  suddenly,  during  the  Procession  of  the  Blessed 
Sacrament,  he  raised  himself,  looking  like  a  veritable 
skeleton  issuing  from  a  tomb.  A  cure  such  as  this  is 
contrary  to  all  theories  and  all  scientific  prevision. 
When  the  doctors  tried  to  define  the  lesion,  to  settle 
precisely  what  was  the  diagnosis  of  the  malady  which 
had  reduced  him  to  such  a  state,  they  were  sorely 
embarrassed.  Some  talked  of  injury  or  compression 
of  the  spinal  cord,  others  attributed  all  the  symptoms 
to  hystero-traumatism.  “  What  does  it  matter  ?”  said 
Dr.  Michaux,  a  well-known  surgeon.  “  The  lesion  was 
everywhere,  the  whole  organism  affected.  The  precise 
name  of  the  disease  is  of  little  importance.  The  result 
was  certain,  and  death  not  far  off.”1 

The  moribund  whom  science  had  abandoned,  and 
who  has  come  to  life  as  a  result  of  prayer,  is,  they  tell 
us,  “  a  nervous  case.”  Well  and  good.  But  that  does 
not  explain  the  sudden  passage  from  approaching 
death  to  a  state  of  health.  Can  one  attribute  to  sug¬ 
gestion,  or  the  shock  produced  by  the  icy  water,  that  a 
skeleton  with  limbs  almost  deprived  of  muscles  sud¬ 
denly  acquires  normal  movements?  Will  hypnosis 
produce  in  a  week  a  considerable  increase  of  weight, 
and  cause  a  cure  without  convalescence  or  relapse  ? 
Yet  these  conditions  are  found  in  several  cases  cured 
at  Lourdes.  They  are  well  exemplified  in  that  of 
Mademoiselle  Guilloteau,  of  Taillis,  in  the  Vendee.2 

Mademoiselle  Ernestine  Guilloteau  arrived  at 
Lourdes  accompanied  by  accurate  and  precise  certi- 

1  Boissarie,  Les  Guerisons  de  Lourdes,  2nd  sdrie,  p.  42. 

2  No.  90.  Register,  1908. 


44 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


ficates  stating  that  she  was  suffering  from  chronic 
enteritis,  to  which  were  added  symptoms  of  chronic 
peritonitis.  All  the  doctors  had  stated  also  that  there 
were  lesions  of  the  lungs,  undoubtedly  tuberculous  in 
character,  and  that,  considering  the  generalisation  of 
the  trouble  and  the  extreme  emaciation,  her  case  was 
incurable.  When  she  arrived  she  was  unable  to  walk, 
having  been  absolutely  confined  to  bed  for  two  years. 
She  had  extreme  pain,  which  could  only  be  calmed  by 
injections  of  morphia;  of  this  she  took  12  centi¬ 
grammes  daily.  Her  weakness  was  extreme,  her 
tongue  covered  with  thrush,  as  happens  with  cachectics 
in  the  last  stage.  In  short,  her  state  was  so  grave  that 
death  appeared  almost  imminent. 

However,  during  the  passage  of  the  Blessed  Sacra¬ 
ment,  which  a  prelate  was  conveying  to  the  Grotto 
one  morning  at  nine  o’clock,  this  skeleton  suddenly 
raised  herself.  She  was  immediately  taken  to  the 
Medical  Bureau.  There  they  examined  the  poor  girl, 
finding  that  she  weighed  only  24  kilogrammes,  48 
pounds  instead  of  the  1 20  that  she  weighed  two  years 
before.  The  doctors  in  the  Bureau  could  find  no 
evidence  of  either  abdominal  or  pulmonary  tubercle. 
She  was  cured,  and  thoroughly  cured.  For  the  last 
few  months  as  nourishment  she  had  only  been  able  to 
take  a  little  milk  in  small  quantities,  sometimes  a  little 
tea  or  coffee,  and  this  was  not  always  retained ;  now 
she  could  eat  and  digest  everything.  Formerly  she 
could  not  move  without  pain ;  now  she  could  walk  and 
move  without  difficulty.  What  was  very  extraordinary 
was  that  the  movements  almost  seemed  to  be  made 
without  muscles,  for  these  had  atrophied  to  such  an 


. 


■ 


- 


- 


4 


THE  FACTS 


45 


extent  that  they  appeared  almost  non-existent.  We 
all  know  that  time,  and  often  a  considerable  time,  is 
necessary  during  which  passive  movements  are  made 
in  order  to  overcome  the  weakness  and  stiffness  of 
muscles  which  have  been  immobilised  for  some  weeks, 
as  in  the  case  of  fractures  or  severe  sprains.  In  the 
case  of  Ernestine  Guilloteau,  immobilisation  had 
lasted  for  two  years  :  during  this  time  she  had  been 
confined  to  bed,  and  the  atrophy  produced  by  this, 
together  with  the  wasting  caused  by  the  disease,  had 
reached  an  extreme  degree.  Nevertheless,  scarcely 
had  she  been  cured  by  the  passage  of  the  Blessed 
Sacrament,  when  she  could  move  her  legs  normally — 
a  thing  which  had  been  impossible  for  the  last  two 
years.  Moreover,  it  must  be  noted  that  the  muscles 
and  the  fat  in  the  subcutaneous  tissues  were  restored 
with  a  rapidity  which  was  certainly  abnormal.  Three 
weeks  after  the  examination  Ernestine  Guilloteau  had 
gained  3  kilogrammes.  Five  months  later,  in  April, 
1909,  she  weighed,  according  to  the  evidence  of  her 
doctor,  46^  kilogrammes.  She  returned  to  Lourdes 
a  year  after  in  perfect  health,  having  gained  66 
pounds  since  the  day  of  her  return  to  life.  In  1921 
Mademoiselle  Guilloteau  presented  herself  at  the 
Bureau;  her  health  was  robust,  and  she  was  full  of 
spirits  and  energy,  and  this  time  she  accompanied, 
as  a  nurse,  a  patient  who  was  seriously  ill. 

In  the  case  of  Mademoiselle  Guilloteau  it  is  impos¬ 
sible  to  atribute  the  extreme  wasting  to  a  nervous 
cause.  There  are  cases,  however,  where  without  any 
definite  organic  lesion  the  patients  are  very  near 
death.  Hysteria  is  sometimes  accompanied  by  such 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


46 

symptoms  that  the  whole  organic  life  of  the  body 
seems  to  be  disorganised.  In  such  a  case,  is  a  sudden 
return  to  normal  health  of  usual  occurrence  ?  No ! 
such  a  resurrection  must  be  attributed  to  some  force 
much  superior  to  any  that  we  can  employ.  The  in¬ 
fluence  of  the  nervous  system  can  put  an  end  to  some 
special  symptom,  but  it  cannot  instantly  restore  health 
which  had  long  been  destroyed.  There  are  hysterical 
cases  which  by  long  years  of  suffering  are  reduced  to 

such  a  condition  of  ill-health  that  death  is  inevitable 
and  not  far  off.  But  at  Lourdes  such  cases  are  some¬ 
times  restored  to  health  in  less  time  than  it  takes  to 
say  it. 

In  the  month  of  August,  1921,  I  had  the  occasion  of 
studying  such  a  case.  It  was  that  of  a  young  woman, 
twenty-seven  years  of  age,  suffering  from  purely 
functional  nervous  disease.  For  six  years  Made¬ 
moiselle  Pr -  had  been  subject  to  intractable 

vomiting;  she  rejected  almost  everything,  even 
liquids.  In  consequence  she  presented  the  appearance 
of  a  veritable  mummy,  having  literally  only  skin  to 
cover  her  bones,  as  the  subjoined  photograph  indi¬ 
cates.  On  the  Rosary  Esplanade  during  the  Pro¬ 
cession  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  on  August  25,  1921, 
this  living  skeleton  suddenly  got  up  and  commenced 
to  walk.  Her  walk,  it  is  true,  was  decidedly  hesitat¬ 
ing,  as  in  the  case  of  one  who  has  lost  the  power  of 
standing  upright.  That  same  evening  she  took  a 
copious  and  varied  meal. 

As  she  presented  the  stigmata  of  hysteria,  and  the 
notes  that  accompanied  her  case  stated  that  the 
vomiting  could  not  be  attributed  to  any  definite 


_ _ 


MLLE.  PR 


AUGUST  20,  1921. 


u 


*< 


; 


~ 


- 


f 


THE  FACTS 


47 


organic  lesion  in  the  stomach,  the  doctors  at  the 
Bureau  certified  that  the  case  was  certainly  one  of 
extraordinary  improvement,  but  in  the  absence  of  any 
definite  organic  lesion  such  a  change  might  be  at¬ 
tributed  to  some  nervous  shock,  some  emotion  or 
psychic  influence,  and  so  might  have  a  natural  cause. 
As  always  happens  in  such  cases,  the  patient  was 
classed  as  hysterical,  and  simply  looked  upon  as  a 
pathological  curiosity.  It  is  none  the  less  true  that 

the  sudden  change  effected  in  Mademoiselle  Pr - 

was  not  only  the  cure  of  the  nervous  symptoms,  but 
a  profound  change  in  her  general  health  which  was 
difficult  to  explain  naturally. 

In  such  cases  it  is  not  the  cessation  of  the  nervous 
symptoms,  the  pain,  paralysis,  contraction,  etc.,  which 
constitutes  the  unusual;  it  is  the  sudden  change,  the 
brusque  amelioration  of  the  former  morbid  state.  It 
is  necessary  to  draw  a  distinction  between  the  general 
state  of  health  and  the  nervous  symptoms. 

Instantaneous  cures  of  grave  lesions  without  any 
relapse  are  sufficient  reply  to  the  sophisms  of  those 
who  wish  to  explain-  all  the  cures  at  Lourdes  by  sug¬ 
gestion.  La  Grivotte ,  whom  Zola  interred  as  far 
back  as  1 892,  survived  him  :  she  only  died  on  August 
11,  1920.  Sophie  Couteau,  another  heroine  of  Zola’s, 
who  was  cured  of  caries  of  the  bones  of  the  foot,  is 
now  Sister  Agnes  of  the  Little  Sisters  of  the  Assump¬ 
tion  ;  she  has  always  remained  well.  Marie  Le- 
marchand,  the  Elise  Roquet  of  the  novelist,  became 
Madame  Authier;  she  had  a  family  of  ten  children, 
and  brought  them  up  as  excellent  Catholics. 

Zola’s  bad  faith  and  the  lies  he  told  about  the 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


48 

cures  he  had  witnessed  have  had  a  result  diametric¬ 
ally  opposite  to  that  which  the  novelist  desired.  Per¬ 
haps  his  book  and  the  details  he  has  given  about  the 
three  persons  we  have  mentioned  may  have  upset  the 
convictions  of  some  and  caused  doubts  in  the  minds 
of  others;  but,  on  the  whole,  the  result  of  this  work 
has  been  to  call  the  attention  of  numbers  to  Lourdes 
and  the  cures  that  are  worked  there.  His  work  has 
led  to  our  sanctuaries  many  doctors  and  men  of 
science.  The  impious  attempt  of  the  novelist  has  in 
the  long  run  increased  both  the  evidence  for  the  super¬ 
natural  and  the  glory  of  God. 

VI 

It  can  be  easily  understood  that  the  enemies  of 
Lourdes,  in  order  to  explain  the  facts,  made  much 
use  of  the  term  suggestion . 

The  word  “  suggestion  ”  dispensed  embarrassing 
questions  from  being  investigated ;  it  permitted  a 
solution  being  found  without  study  or  discussion; 
the  supernatural  was  denied  by  entrenching  behind 
so-called  infallible  science.  “  It  is  a  case  of  hysteria, 
of  suggestion.”  This  was  supposed  to  be  the  final 
verdict  of  science,  and  these  words,  mysterious  to  the 
lay  mind,  having  even  a  vague,  ill-defined  meaning  to 
those  who  had  not  specialised  in  nervous  diseases, 
closed  the  subject,  rendering  further  investigation 
superfluous. 

By  affirming  suggestion,  this  so-called  science  runs 
counter  to  its  own  theories.  If  all  the  cures  at  Lourdes 
are  of  psychic  origin  and  depend  upon  suggestion, 


THE  FACTS 


49 


why  does  suggestion  work  such  wonderful  works  at 
Lourdes  only  after  the  apparitions  of  1858,  and 
always  in  conjunction  with  fervent  prayer  ?  If  all 
the  sick  who  are  cured  at  Lourdes  are  neurotic,  how 
is  it  that  we  only  obtain  a  limited  number  of  cures 
amongst  the  great  number  of  such  cases  which  they 
allege  are  present  there  ? 

Again,  if  we  possess  at  the  Grotto  such  exceptional 
means  of  suggestion,  how  is  it  that  at  the  Bureau  we 
inscribe  in  our  archives  cures  of  pulmonary,  osseous, 
and  articular  tuberculosis;  of  cancer,  blindness,  etc. — 
maladies  where  suggestion  can  do  little  or  nothing; 
cases,  too,  which  are  easily  controlled  ? 

Those  who  obstinately  deny  our  cures  and  refuse 
discussion  are  impossible  to  convince.  They  will  not 
accept  the  evidence  of  facts.  The  followers  of  the 
suggestion  hypothesis  are,  at  least,  adversaries  whom 
we  may  try  to  refute. 

Suggestion,  imagination,  nervous  influences,  have 
never  possessed  the  property  of  regenerating  organic 
tissue.  I  have  already  referred  to  the  laws  which 
govern  these  changes.  Such  reparation  can  only  occur 
after  a  definite  time,  by  successive  changes,  by  means 
of  cell  multiplication.  This  multiplication,  caused  by 
the  older  cells  and  in  conjunction  with  them,  reforms 
the  skin,  muscles,  connective  tissue,  bones,  etc.  All 
these  tissue  changes  are  brought  about  by  means  of 
material  conveyed  by  the  blood,  which  had  obtained 
them  from  the  food  by  complicated  digestive  pro¬ 
cesses.  In  this  succession  of  physiological  operations 
the  question  of  time  is  an  indispensable  one.  This  is 
an  unalterable  law.  To  assert  that  an  emotion,  a 

4 


50 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


moral  shock,  can  create  cells  of  all  the  necessary 
varieties,  is  to  admit  heresy. 

It  is  possible  that  imagination  may  modify  to  some 
extent  the  laws  which  preside  over  the  regeneration  of 
tissues,  but  it  cannot  run  absolutely  counter  to  these 
laws;  that  would  be  to  deny  firmly  established  bio¬ 
logical  principles. 

Here  is  a  spring,  without  medicinal  qualities,  which 
puts  an  end  to  phthisis,  the  various  manifestations  of 
the  tuberculous  diathesis,  to  cancer,  etc.,  and  the 
action  of  this  water  is  practically  instantaneous. 
These  cures  occur  in  those  full  of  faith  and  confidence, 
also  in  those  who  do  not  believe,  and  have  not  asked 
to  be  cured.  Is  it  reasonable,  then,  to  attribute  the 
curative  effect  of  Lourdes  water  to  the  exaltation  pro¬ 
duced  by  faith  and  the  influence  of  suggestion  ? 

Children  of  only  a  few  months  or  years  cannot  be 
cured  by  suggestion;  they  cry,  scream,  and  struggle 
when  they  are  plunged  into  the  icy  water.  Can  we 
believe  that  they  are  under  the  influence  of  the  “  faith 
which  cures,”  and  that  they  suggest  to  themselves 
the  idea  of  a  cure  ?  It  is  the  same  with  those  unfor¬ 
tunate  patients  who  depart  from  Lourdes  as  ill  as  they 
arrived.  Are  they  still  under  the  influence  of  sugges¬ 
tion  when  sometimes  their  malady  is  cured  during  the 
return  journey  in  the  train  or  when  they  reach  home  ? 

I  will  cite  an  example  of  one  of  these  cures  which 
was  obtained  beyond  the  influence  of  those  inter¬ 
mediary  agents  to  which  cure  is  usually  assigned,  a 
cure  which  took  place  when  all  suggestion  or  hope  of 
cure  was  non-existent. 

It  occurred  in  the  case  of  a  young  woman  belonging 


MLLE.  IRENE  SALIN  OF  MOURIES  (BOUCHES  DU  RHONE), 


AUGUST 


1921. 


THE  FACTS 


5i 


to  the  Pilgrimage  of  Provence.  Despite  her  great 
desire  to  be  cured,  she  left  Lourdes  without  any  signs 
of  amelioration.  As  is  usually  the  case,  she  was  calm, 
resigned,  and  submissive,  but  confident  in  spite  of 
everything.  Her  firm  trust  in  our  blessed  Lady,  how¬ 
ever,  was  that  she  would  finally  yield  to  her  prayers 
and  supplications,  and  cure  her  another  year  on  the 
occasion  of  a  new  pilgrimage. 

Mademoiselle  Ir£ne  Salin,  aged  twenty-oney  of 
Mouries  ( Bouches-du-Rhone ).  (Dossier  No.  24, 
192 1.)1  Pott's  disease  cured  during  the  return 
journey . 

To  obtain  permission  to  join  the  49th  National 
Pilgrimage,  Mademoiselle  Irene  Salin  presented  the 
following  certificate  from  Dr.  Pierre  Cot,  of  Maus- 
sanne  (Bouches-du-Rhone) : 

“  I,  the  undersigned,  Pierre  Cot,  doctor  of  the 
Faculty  of  Montpellier,  living  at  Maussanne,  declare 
and  certify  that  I  have  had  under  my  care  for  two 
years  Mademoiselle  Irene  Salin,  suffering  from  Pott’s 
disease  in  the  lumbar  region.  Actually  the  patient 
presents  evidence  of  disease  in  the  last  three  lumbar 
vertebras,  with  persistent  pain  in  the  whole  of  that 
region.  She  has  to  wear  a  plaster  corset,  after  almost 
two  years  of  the  ‘gouttiere.’  Improvement  is  very 
slow. 

“  (Signed)  Dr.  Cot. 

“  July  4,  1921.” 


1  Journal  de  la  Grotle ,  December  4,  1921. 


1 


52  THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 

In  delivering  this  certificate,  our  colleague  did  not 
conceal  from  her  family  the  dangers  that  might  pos¬ 
sibly  occur  from  a  journey  to  Lourdes.  “  As  a  matter 
of  fact,”  he  said,  “  this  patient  ought  not  to  be  moved, 
and  the  proof  is  that  I  refused  her  visiting  her  father 
at  Salon.  However,  in  face  of  the  express  wish  of  the 
patient,  and  her  great  hopes  of  being  cured,  I  have 
allowed  her  to  undertake  the  journey.  I,  however, 
make  one  precaution,  a  sine  qua  non — Mademoiselle 
Irene  must  be  transported  swung  in  her  ‘  gouttiere  *  to 
Arles,  where  she  joins  the  pilgrimage  train.  There 
again,  if  it  is  in  any  way  possible,  she  must  be  trans¬ 
ported  in  the  same  manner.  I  affirm,  speaking  as  a 
medical  man,  that  she  should  not  travel  otherwise.” 
The  doctor  also  added  that  he  could  not  allow  the 
patient  to  remove  her  plaster  splint  for  immersion  in 
the  piscine. 

Despite  all  the  precautions,  Mademoiselle  Salin 
suffered  very  much  during  the  journey  to  Lourdes. 
On  her  arrival  on  Thursday,  August  18,  1921,  she 
was  taken  to  the  Hospital  of  St.  Frais,  the  slightest 
shock  causing  very  considerable  pain. 

Some  hours  later  she  was  completely  immersed  in 
the  piscine,  but  after  this  only  local  applications  of 
the  water  were  made,  as  the  movements  involved  in 
the  immersion  were  too  painful.  On  August  22,  how¬ 
ever,  the  evening  before  her  departure,  the  formal 
wish  of  the  patient  was  granted  that  she  should  again 
be  bathed,  and  this  wish  was  granted  without  any 
result  ensuing. 

On  Tuesday,  August  23,  the  train  for  Provence  left 
Lourdes,  taking  Mademoiselle  Salin,  uncured,  but 


j 


THE  FACTS 


53 

fully  resigned  to  the  will  of  God,  and  still  confident. 
“  The  blessed  Virgin  will  cure  me,  you  will  see,”  she 
said,  and  this  she  repeated  several  times,  but  by  this 
she  only  intended  to  say  that  she  hoped  to  be  cured 
the  following  year  when  she  returned  to  Lourdes  a 
second  time. 

As  the  train  approached  Toulouse  she  suddenly 
felt  better,  and  asked  permission  of  her  mother  to 
leave  her  splint  and  take  some  steps  in  the  corridor 
of  the  carriage.  This  was  granted,  and  Mademoiselle 
Salin  walked  a  little  without  feeling  any  pain  or 
fatigue.  Replaced  in  her  splint,  she  slept  soundly 
until  her  arrival  at  Montpellier;  for  three  years  she 
had  not  slept  like  this. 

The  following  morning,  August  24,  on  arriving  at 
Nimes,  Irene  jumped  from  her  compartment,  and 
visited  some  friends  in  an  adjoining  carriage, 
mounting  again  into  her  own  compartment  with¬ 
out  help,  even  though  she  was  wearing  her  plaster 
corset. 

At  Arles  she  got  out,  followed  by  her  “  gouttiere,” 
which  was  carried  behind  her,  and  seated  herself  in 
the  vehicle  which  was  to  convey  her  the  25  kilometres 
which  separated  her  from  Mouries. 

During  this  journey  her  carriage  was  passed  by  the 
car  of  Dr.  Cot,  who  was  absolutely  stupefied  to 
see  his  patient  without  her  splint,  asserting  that  she 
was  cured. 

On  Friday,  August  26,  our  colleague  visited  the 
patient  at  home  :  at  her  request  he  removed  the  splint, 
and  testified  to  the  absolute  disappearance  of  every 
morbid  symptom. 


54 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


Three  weeks  later,  on  September  14,  Dr.  Cot  drew 
up  the  following  declaration  : 

“  Mademoiselle  Irene  Salin,  aged  twenty-one,  suffer¬ 
ing  from  Pott’s  disease  in  the  lumbo-sacral  region, 
was  put  in  a  Bonnet’s  splint  from  March,  1919,  to 
June,  1920;  then,  as  painful  symptoms  still  persisted 
and  walking  was  impossible,  a  plaster  corset  was 
applied,  which  she  wore  from  April  5,  1921,  to 
August  26  of  the  same  year. 

“At  that  date  I  removed  the  plaster  corset,  and 
state,  that  then  Mademoiselle  Salin  presented  none  of 
the  classical  signs  of  Pott's  disease.  The  movements 
of  antero-  and  postero-flexion  of  the  spine,  as  well  as 
the  lateral  movements,  were  perfectly  free  and  pain¬ 
less.  The  patient  walked  without  pain,  and  felt  no 
fatigue  therefrom. 

“I  am  obliged  to  avow ,  with  all  the  impartiality 
which  certificates  of  this  kind  ought  to  have,  that  it  is 
impossible  to  explain  otherwise  than  super  naturally 
such  a  complete  and  rapid  cure. 

“  As  a  testimony  to  which  I  have  given  the  present 
certificate. 

“(Signed)  Dr.  Cot.” 

The  illness  from  which  Mademoiselle  Salin  suffered 
was  undoubtedly  Pott’s  disease.  The  diagnosis  was 
confirmed  by  Dr.  Jourdain,  of  Marseilles,  who  advised 
the  Bonnet  splint.  The  same  diagnosis  was  made  by 
Dr.  Eynard,  of  Marseilles,  after  a  radiograph  had 
been  taken.  Finally,  when  the  “gouttiere”  was 
removed  Drs.  Bee  and  Tartanssen  of  Airgnon  applied 
the  plaster  corset. 


THE  FACTS 


55 


The  affection,  then,  from  which  Mademoiselle  Salin 
suffered  was  attested  by  five  doctors ,  who  based  their 
opinion  upon  the  radio  graphic  proof. 

The  evidence  of  the  first  certificate,  followed  by  the 
detailed  report  of  the  patient  made  by  the  doctor 
treating  the  case,  permit  us,  then,  to  affirm  the  cure, 
which  has  since  been  completely  maintained.  The 
rapidity  of  the  cure  authorises  us  to  affirm  that  it 
cannot  be  explained  medically.  The  circumstances  in 
which  it  was  produced  preclude  nervous  influences. 

At  the  Procession  on  the  Rosary  Esplanade,  and 
before  the  Grotto,  without  the  action  of  any  inter¬ 
mediary  agent,  we  see  the  instantaneous  cure  of 
organic  lesions,  wounds,  fractures,  caries,  tumours, 
just  as  in  the  piscines.  It  is  well  recognised  to-day 
that  suggestion  cannot  produce  similar  results. 

Charcot,  despite  his  confidence  in  the  “faith  which 
cures  ”  (a  faith  which,  however,  never  cured  a  cancer 
before  the  appearance  of  the  miraculous  spring  at 
Lourdes),  admits  absolutely  that  tissue  lesions,  lesions 
with  loss  of  substance,  require  a  definite  time,  varying 
in  length,  for  their  cure. 

The  chief  of  the  Nancy  School,  Bernheim  himself, 
recognised  that  suggestion  has  limits  in  its  power  of 
action.  He  acknowledged  that  suggestion  could  not 
act  directly  on  a  diseased  organ  “  to  restore  the 
elements  of  a  tissue  either  destroyed  or  invaded  by 
a  new  growth,”  and  declared  that  hypno-suggestive 
treatment  only  succeeded  in  a  very  limited  number  of 
cases. 

According  to  Babinsky,  we  must  doubt  as  to  many 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


56 

of  the  symptoms  which  were  formerly  regarded  as 
hysterical.  “All  medical  men  recognise  that  the 
domain  of  hysteria  has  been  inordinately  extended, 
and  that  the  power  of  hysteria  to  reproduce  the  most 
diverse  maladies  has  been  considerably  exaggerated.”1 

According  to  this  author,  grave  errors  of  diagnosis 
are  frequently  made,  by  considering  as  hysterical 
symptoms  which  are  those  of  definite  organic  trouble. 
Haemoptyses,  haematemeses,  haematuria,  fever — all 
these  symptoms  have  been  observed  in  hysterical 
subjects,  and  considered  as  hysterical  by  skilful  prac¬ 
titioners,  who  discovered  later  that  these  symptoms 
were  definitely  organic.  To-day  “  it  is  recognised 
that  circulatory ,  secretory ,  trophic  troubles ,  as  well  as 
hcemorrhages  and  anuria ,  cannot  be  produced  solely 
by  suggestion .” 2 

If  this  is  true,  then  the  haematemesis  which  char¬ 
acterises  ulcer  of  the  stomach  cannot  be  regarded  as 
a  neurosis,  and  the  many  cases  of  this  affection  cured 
at  Lourdes  cannot  be  attributed  to  suggestion,  any 
more  than  the  cures  of  other  organic  lesions  of  which 
our  archives  contain  such  a  number. 

We  are  told  that  the  settings  of  the  stage  at  Lourdes 
— the  candles,  the  invocations,  the  various  ceremonies 
— exert  a  curative  influence  which  explains  all  the 
supernatural  happenings.  To  this  we  reply,  that  the 
adversaries  of  the  supernatural  can,  if  they  are  so 
minded,  imitate  all  this.  They  can  invoke  Nature 
the  omnipotent,  light  candles,  and  make  magnificent 

1  Demembrement  de  VhysUrie  tradUionelle.  Pithiaiisme ,  p.  4. 
Imprimerie  de  la  Semaine  MJdicale. 

3  Babinsky,  ibid.,  p.  12. 


THE  FACTS  5  7 

processions  in  their  hospitals  and  asylums ;  still,  they 
will  never  obtain  similar  results. 

It  is  asserted  that  all  the  sick  cured  at  Lourdes  are 
hysterical  or  neurotic.  It  must  be  admitted,  however, 
that  a  very  special  dose  of  good-will  is  necessary  to 
include  in  such  categories  the  cases  of  Louis  Thurel, 
Juliette  Nancey,  and  Ernestine  Guilloteau,  whose  notes 
we  have  given. 

Neurotic  cavities  in  the  lungs  have  yet  to  be  dis¬ 
covered,  and  hysteria  has  not  yet  produced  fractures, 
tubercular  joint  disease,  and  cancer. 

It  must  be  admitted  that  it  is  difficult  to  see  “  sug¬ 
gestion  ”  in  the  following  sudden  and  radical  cure, 
which  I  published  in  the  month  of  June,  1921  : 1 

Mademoiselle  Valentine  Gougaud,  of  Rennes, 
aged  twenty-seven .  ( 'Register  No.  7,  1921.) — From 

infancy  she  had  very  poor  health;  amongst  her  ail¬ 
ments  tuberculous  manifestations  figure  prominently. 
She  has  had  pneumonia,  broncho-pneumonia,  pleurisy, 
frequent  attacks  of  bronchitis,  meningitic  symptoms, 
scarlet  fever,  influenza,  appendicitis,  with  peritoneal 
trouble. 

With  such  a  history  it  is  easy  to  understand  that 
this  young  girl  had  little  strength,  and  yet,  despite 
her  marked  wasting,  Mademoiselle  Gougaud,  im¬ 
mediately  there  was  any  amelioration  in  her  health, 
recommenced  her  work.  She  continued  as  long  as 
possible  in  her  work  in  a  grocery  establishment,  and 
when  this  was  impossible  took  the  post  of  cashier  in 
another  situation.  After  her  operation  for  appendicitis 


1  Journal  de  la  Grotte,  June  19,  1921. 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


58 

in  1916,  Mademoiselle  Gougaud  commenced  to  have 
much  pain  in  the  left  hip ;  this  necessitated  a  long  rest 
in  the  country,  when  she  was  either  lying  in  bed  or  on 
a  long  invalid  chair. 

At  Rennes  the  diagnosis  of  coxalgia  was  made,  and 
she  was  sent  to  the  Roskoff  Institute.  The  diagnosis 
was  here  confirmed,  and  an  immobilising  plaster  splint 
applied,  which  was  worn  for  eight  months.  During 
the  two  following  months  the  treatment  consisted  in 
baths  and  extension  by  the  aid  of  a  weight  of  5  kilo¬ 
grammes.  This  treatment  led  to  some  improvement, 
but  the  patient  was  not  allowed  to  sit  up  or  to  bend 
the  knee. 

Despite  her  precarious  condition,  she  recommenced 
work  in  the  beginning  of  1918,  and  continued  until 
October. 

During  that  month  she  had  a  grave  attack  of 
broncho-pneumonia,  which  incapacitated  her  for  six 
weeks.  At  the  end  of  this  attack  she  had  considerable 
pain  in  the  cervico-dorsal  region  of  the  spine.  How¬ 
ever,  she  recommenced  work  in  December,  suffering 
much  pain  in  the  hip  and  spine;  at  the  same  time  she 
could  not  hold  herself  upright,  and  was  unable  to 
raise  the  head.  After  treatment  by  cauterisation  along 
the  length  of  the  vertebral  column,  Dr.  Augier,  the 
patient’s  medical  man,  who  was  chief  surgeon  at  the 
Hospital  and  Clinic  of  St.  Yves,  at  Rennes,  showed 
her  to  several  colleagues  at  the  hospital,  and  also  to 
six  practitioners,  three  of  whom  were  surgeons.  The 
diagnosis  of  Pott’s  disease  was  confirmed,  and  the 
advice  given  that  the  patient  should  enter  the  hospital 
and  an  immobilising  apparatus  be  applied. 


THE  FACTS 


59 


In  July,  1919,  Mademoiselle  Gougaud  entered  the 
hospital  at  St  Yves,  and  was  immediately  put  in  a 
plaster  corset,  which  was  left  on  for  two  months.  At 
the  end  of  this  time,  loss  of  consciousness,  vomiting, 
and  meningitic  symptoms  occurred,  for  which  ice  was 
applied  to  the  head.  When  the  patient  was  a  little 
better  from  this,  she  had  a  very  violent  pain  in  the 
cervical  region. 

After  a  month  and  a  half  a  third  change  of  the 
plaster  corset  was  made.  The  slightest  movement  of 
the  body  now  caused  intense  pain ;  her  sufferings  were 
so  acute  that  injections  of  morphia  had  to  be  given 
for  their  relief. 

The  journey  to  Lourdes  was  made  in  June,  1921. 
The  getting  the  patient  into  the  train,  and  also  the 
journey,  caused  much  pain.  In  addition  to  the  spinal 
disease,  there  was  much  pain  in  the  left  knee,  which 
could  not  be  flexed  at  all. 

Mademoiselle  Gougaud  arrived  at  Lourdes  on 
June  14  with  the  following  certificate  : 

“Mademoiselle  Valentine  Gougaud,  who  has  been 
under  my  care  for  the  last  two  years,  is  suffering  from 
Pott’s  disease  of  the  cervical  spine,  which  has  neces¬ 
sitated  the  application  of  a  plaster  corset.  At  the 
present  time  the  disease  is  in  active  progress,  and  the 
general  health  is  very  precarious. 

“(Signed)  Dr.  AUGIER. 

“  Rennes, 

“April  5,  1921.” 

On  Wednesday,  June  15,  at  nine  o’clock  in  the 
morning,  at  the  moment  when  the  apparatus  was 
removed  to  allow  of  her  immersion,  she  had  much 


6o 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


pain,  and  at  the  same  time  a  strange  sensation  of 
collapse;  then,  without  knowing  exactly  how,  she 
raised  herself  in  the  water. 

From  this  moment  all  pain  and  suffering  disap¬ 
peared.  However,  the  apparatus  was  re-applied,  and 
Mademoiselle  Gougaudwas  taken  to  the  Grotto,  where 
she  felt  herself  to  be  very  much  better;  but  she  did 
not  wish  to  declare  herself  cured,  deciding  that  she 
would  not  definitely  believe  in  it  until  she  was  able 
to  walk. 

In  the  afternoon  at  the  second  bath  she  did  not 
experience  any  pain,  but  felt  a  great  sense  of  well¬ 
being;  in  addition,  her  knee,  which  had  been  rigidly 
extended,  was  capable  of  flexion. 

A  little  later,  at  the  Procession,  she  was  much 
agitated  and  moved,  but  persevered  in  her  resolution 
not  to  say  anything  as  to  the  disappearance  of  her 
symptoms,  from  fear  that  perhaps  after  all  her  cure 
was  not  a  real  one. 

At  the  hospital  that  evening  Mademoiselle  Gougaud 
sat  without  difficulty  on  the  edge  of  her  bed ;  to  shake 
hands  with  one  of  her  neighbours  she  walked  with 
assistance  to  her,  then  with  the  help  of  one  of  the 
Religious  she  made  the  tour  of  the  ward,  greeting  the 
various  patients.  After  this  she  had  strength  enough 
to  rise  again  and  greet  the  director  of  the  pilgrimage. 
She  then  made  an  excellent  meal,  the  first  for  many 
months,  for  up  to  this  time  she  had  only  been  able  to 
take  milk  by  means  of  a  feeding-cup,  the  daily  amount 
being  scarcely  a  litre  (a  pint  and  a  half).  She  passed 
a  very  good  night,  not  having  taken,  as  she  always 
had  done  previously,  some  cachets  of  chloral,  without 


THE  FACTS 


61 


which  she  had  been  unable  to  sleep.  On  Thursday 
morning,  June  16,  Mademoiselle  Gougaud  was  con¬ 
ducted  to  the  Bureau,  where  she  raised  herself  easily 
from  her  stretcher,  and  walked  without  assistance, 
hesitating,  however,  a  little  like  one  who  has  lost  the 
habit  of  walking. 

Her  examination  at  the  Bureau  was  entrusted  to 
Drs.  Petitpierre,  of  Hyeres,  and  Firoult,  of  Rennes, 
who  gave  the  following  report : 

"(i)  The  vertebral  column  shows  no  deformity  in 
the  cervical  region.  All  the  movements  are  made  with 
ease  and  without  pain.  There  is  no  muscular  con¬ 
traction. 

“  (2)  The  left  knee  shows  no  deformity.  Flexion  is 
incomplete,  and  just  passes  the  right  angle. 

“  (3)  There  is  some  slight  pain  in  the  left  hip  on 
flexing  the  thigh  on  the  pelvis,  and  this  flexion  is 
arrested  at  1 10  degrees.  The  movement  of  adduction 
has  half  its  amplitude,  and  is  not  painful. 

“  (4)  The  shortening  of  the  left  leg,  which  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  witnesses  interrogated  was  2\  centimetres, 
is  only  apparent  and  due  to  a  bending  of  the  vertebral 
column. 

“(5)  Despite  the  history  of  lung  trouble,  respiration 
is  normal.  There  are  no  rales  or  other  adventitious 
signs.  Percussion  shows  normal  resonance. 

“  Conclusions : 

"  (1)  The  illness  has  really  existed. 

“  (2)  There  is  an  absolute  cure  of  the  Pott’s  disease 
in  the  cervical  region,  and  an  evident  amelioration  of 
the  hip  disease. 


62 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


“(3)  The  cure,  considering  its  rapidity,  cannot  be 
attributed  to  a  natural  process.” 

P.S. — At  the  examination  made  on  the  following 
day,  Friday,  June  17,  the  coxalgia  was  much  im 
proved.  The  movements  of  the  hip  were  normal. 
The  only  thing  remaining  was  that  the  left  knee  could 
not  be  completely  flexed. 

This  case  of  Mademoiselle  Gougaud  seems  to  me 
to  rest  on  a  base  which  is  scientifically  impregnable. 
The  diagnosis  of  vertebral  caries  made  by  the  surgeon 
of  the  hospital,  whose  competence  cannot  be  doubted, 
was  also  confirmed  by  six  other  doctors,  three  of 
whom  were  surgical  specialists;  and  it  was  also  con¬ 
firmed  by  a  radiograph.  At  the  Bureau  the  disap¬ 
pearance  of  all  the  symptoms  was  attested. 

This  is  not  all,  however.  Dr.  Augier,  who  had  her 
under  his  charge  in  the  Hospital  and  Clinic  of 
St  Yves  for  three  years,  and  who  examined  her  before 
her  departure  for  Lourdes,  did  not  lose  sight  of  her 
after  the  cure.  He  followed  it  attentively,  obtained 
new  radiographs,  and  published  in  the  Semaine 
Religietise  of  the  Diocese  of  Rennes  (February  18)  the 
following  account : 

“  Mademoiselle  Gougaud  was  cured  at  Lourdes  on 
June  15,  1921,  of  a  grave  affection  of  the  vertebral 
column  which  had  lasted  for  two  years.  All  the 
doctors  who  had  seen  the  patient  from  the  time  of  her 
entry  at  the  Hospital  of  St  Yves  declared  that  she 
was  suffering  from  Pott’s  disease  of  the  cervical  spine. 
This  was  also  my  opinion,  which  was  confirmed  by 
the  facts  noticed  during  two  years’  treatment.  When 


THE  FACTS 


63 

she  left  for  Lourdes,  I  gave  her  a  certificate,  but 
purposely  said  nothing  of  the  hip  disease  from  which 
she  had  suffered,  but  had  been  cured  for  some  time, 
some  lameness  being  left  with  marked  stiffness  of  the 
left  hip  and  knee. 

“  Scarcely  had  the  patient  returned  to  Rennes  cured, 
when  people  began  to  question  the  diagnosis  before 
me,  even  going  so  far  as  to  say  that  she  suffered  only 
from  a  nervous  affection. 

“  My  personal  conviction,  both  as  to  the  diagnosis 
of  the  disease  and  its  cure,  was  quite  definite.  In  face, 
however,  of  the  criticisms  that  had  been  formulated, 
I  resolved  to  observe  the  patient  closely  for  another 
six  months,  at  the  expiration  of  which  the  cure  would 
have  been  tested  by  time. 

“  I  imposed  silence  on  the  patient,  and  also  on  the 
Religious  who  had  nursed  her.  For  myself  this 
silence  was  very  trying,  seeing  the  erroneous  inter¬ 
pretations  which  had  been  put  upon  the  cure. 

“To-day,  after  six  months,  my  conclusions  are  as 
follows : 

“(1)  Mademoiselle  Gougaud  has  remained  ab¬ 
solutely  cured  for  six  months.  There  is  no  sign  of 
any  disease  of  the  vertebral  column,  and  the  radio¬ 
graph  shows  complete  integrity  of  the  cervical  region. 

“  (2)  The  stiffness  of  the  hip  and  knee  has  dis¬ 
appeared.  There  only  remains  very  slight  limitation 
of  movement  and  lameness. 

“  (3)  I  have  never  noticed  in  this  patient  any  signs 
of  functional  nervous  trouble. 

“(Signed)  DR.AUGIER. 


“December  15,  1921." 


64 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


Are  not  these  observations  satisfactory  ?  They 
embrace  notes,  verifications,  and  continued  observa¬ 
tion,  which  destroy  absolutely  the  hypothesis  of  sug¬ 
gestion  in  this  cure. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  at  the  present  day  the  legend 
of  nervous  cures  at  Lourdes  ought  to  be  abandoned, 
for  it  is  upheld  only  by  the  ignorant,  or  by  opponents 
who  are  in  bad  faith.  But  if  little  by  little  the  theory 
of  suggestion  has  been  abandoned,  it  is  the  fashion 
now  to  explain  the  cures  at  Lourdes  naturally  by  the 
intervention  of  “unknown  forces”  of  Nature.  The 
objection  of  unbelievers  now  is  that,  before  concluding 
that  it  is  God  who  has,  for  example,  cured  a  fracture 
instantaneously,  we  must  be  certain  that  there  do  not 
exist  natural  forces  which  are  capable  of  producing 
this  wonderful  result.  But  if  this  is  the  case,  one  can 
never  be  sure  of  anything !  When  I  prescribe  some 
remedy  for  a  patient  of  mine,  I  have  the  certainty  that 
in  the  ordinary  dose  it  will  not  cause  harm,  and  will 
produce  a  certain  definite  effect,  because  this  remedy, 
according  to  experience,  always  produces  the  same 
results.  But  if  this  were  not  the  case,  what  would  not 
be  my  hesitation  and  apprehension,  if  I  imagined  that 
it  might  produce  effects  according  to  some  unknown 
law,  capable  perhaps  of  doing  exactly  the  contrary  of 
what  happens  ordinarily,  and  so  gravely  compromis¬ 
ing  the  life  of  my  patient  ?  If  such  a  thing  did 
happen,  it  would  certainly  be  a  derogation  from 
natural  law,  and  I  should  be  perfectly  correct  in 
describing  it  as  extra-natural. 

Again,  nothing,  absolutely  nothing,  authorises  us  to 
admit  the  hypothesis  of  natural  forces  which  we  shall 


THE  FACTS 


65 

only  learn  about  at  some  future  date.  The  structure 
of  the  organs  of  the  human  body,  and  of  the  functions 
which  preside  over  these  organs,  has  never  changed, 
and  never  will  change.  Structure  and  function  are 
presided  over  by  immutable  laws.  Other  laws  cannot 
possibly  come  and  change  the  normal  structure  or 
function  of  the  bodily  organism. 

It  is  true  that  there  are  still  discoveries  which 
demonstrate  that  Science  has  not  yet  said  its  last 
word.  But  what  we  call  laws,  definite  conclusions 
drawn  from  the  results  of  experience,  are  immutable. 
It  cannot  possibly  be  admitted  that  at  some  future 
date  some  discovery  shall  overturn  our  knowledge  of 
to-day,  for  that  has  never  happened  since  the  world 
has  been  a  world.  If  some  new  law  were  capable  of 
destroying  some  old  law,  this  would  also  be  the 
destruction  of  the  sciences  of  chemistry,  physics,  and 
mechanics.  We  shall  find,  perhaps,  unknown  forces 
which  will  enable  us  to  understand  phenomena  up  to 
now  inexplicable,  but  the  new  laws  which  gradually 
become  known  will  not  contradict  the  old  ones.  A 
natural  force  so  far  unknown  was  revealed  to  us  in 
the  discovery  both  of  radium  and  X-rays.  But  how 
has  this  changed  the  old  law  that  luminous  rays  com¬ 
ing  from  the  sun  cannot  traverse  opaque  bodies  ? 
Some  new  law  will  never  give  this  power  to  solar  rays. 
Nothing  can  do  violence  to  Nature,  whose  laws  seem 
at  times  harsh  and  pitiless.  Against  these  natural 
laws  Science  is  powerless,  but  what  Science  is  incap¬ 
able  of  doing  is  easily  possible  to  the  omnipotence  of 
the  Creator,  who  at  Lourdes  totally  reverses  at  times 
these  natural  laws. 


5 


66 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


Moreover,  those  who  invoke  unknown  forces,  do 
not  they  themselves  acknowledge  that,  by  employing 
this  term  to  avoid  the  supernatural,  they  precisely 
recognise  that  the  cures  at  Lourdes  are  produced  out¬ 
side  the  laws  of  Nature?  We  do  not  say  any¬ 
thing  else  when  we  affirm  the  possibility  of  the 
“  miraculous.” 

Let  us  admit  for  one  moment  that  there  may  be  some 
unknown  force  or  forces  which  produce  the  extraor¬ 
dinary  effects  that  are  seen  at  Lourdes.  These  forces 
would  necessarily  in  their  origin  and  mode  of  action 
operate  so  that  experience  would  show  that  they 
invariably  produced  the  same  results.  Well,  then,  I 
argue  that  this  force,  which  as  yet  we  do  not  know, 
but  which  exists,  has  the  power  by  means  of  the  water 
of  the  piscines  to  cure  a  case  of  suppurating  disease 
of  the  hip-joint.  But  if  it  is  a  definite  law  that 
governs  this  unknown  force,  then  surely  other  cases 
of  suppurating  disease  of  the  hip- joint  ought  to  be 
cured  with  immersion  in  the  miraculous  water  and 
with  similar  prayers. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  cures  of  the  most  diverse 
maladies  occur  in  the  water  at  Lourdes,  but  at  the 
unexpected  moment,  and  without  the  slightest  regu¬ 
larity.  It  is  the  same  at  the  Procession;  the  same 
with  matter-of-fact  adults ;  the  same  with  young 
children,  where  suggestion  has  no  part. 


THE  FACTS 


67 


VII 

It  is  also  evident  that  cures  occur  at  Lourdes  which 
at  first  sight  seem  from  their  rapidity  to  be  extra¬ 
ordinary,  but  which  nevertheless  present  no  miracu¬ 
lous  character.  God  can  cure  a  disease  at  any  stage 
of  its  manifestations.  But  there  are  cases  where  the 
return  to  health  has  been  an  exceptional  grace,  a 
favour  accorded  to  fervent  prayer  without  the  cure 
being  necessarily  miraculous  from  the  medical  point 
of  viewy  and  this  because  it  presents  nothing  contrary 
to  the  findings  of  Science  nor  the  laws  of  Nature. 
Such  cures  can  be  obtained  elsewhere  than  at  the 
Grotto  of  Lourdes.  The  surrounding  crowds,  how¬ 
ever,  in  presence  of  what  seem  to  them  surprising  facts, 
give  them  an  exaggerated  importance,  and  much  too 
quickly  regard  them  as  supernatural.  The  doctors, 
however,  cannot  consider  or  declare  them  to  be  such, 
because  it  is  impossible  to  affirm  scientifically  that  the 
cure  could  not  have  taken  place  in  some  other  place 
at  some  other  time  and  without  any  supernatural 
intervention. 

Here,  for  instance,  is  a  patient  whose  treatment  has 
been  rest  in  bed  for  several  months.  This  prolonged 
immobilisation  has  made  the  various  functional 
symptoms  gradually  disappear.  Naturally  the  time 
arrives  when  the  patient  is  free  from  the  symptoms, 
and  is  perfectly  capable  of  getting  up  and  walking. 
Nothing,  however,  has  given  this  certitude,  and  she 
continues  to  remain  in  bed,  firmly  convinced  that  it 
is  impossible  to  make  the  necessary  effort.  At 
Lourdes,  however,  suddenly  under  the  influence  of 


68 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


emotion  this  effort  is  made.  The  patient  rises  and 
pronounces  the  words  which  all  are  desirous  to  hear : 
“  I  am  cured.”  Immediately  great  excitement  takes 
place  around  her — an  excitement  it  is  necessary  to 
have  witnessed  to  have  an  idea  of.  “A  miracle !  A 
miracle  !  Hosanna  !  Hosanna  !”  cries  the  crowd. 

At  such  a  moment  nobody  wishes  to  think  that  the 
patient  is  deceived,  and  that  she  takes  her  ardent 
wish  for  a  cure  as  a  genuine  reality.  Consequently, 
when  the  calmer  medical  men  examine  the  case,  and 
pronounce  that  a  definite  opinion  cannot  be  passed 
without  further  enquiry,  or  perhaps  state  that  the  cure 
or  amelioration  is  susceptible  of  a  natural  explanation, 
immediately  the  crowd  shows  signs  of  disapproval. 
Noisy  protestations  are  made  by  those  who  believed 
and  said  that  the  patient  had  been  miraculously  cured. 

The  patient  could  not  walk — she  walks.  This 
child  was  dumb — and  talks  now.  This  man  was 
blind — he  sees.  This  paralysed  woman  has  recovered 
the  complete  use  of  her  limbs.  Where  is  the  need  for 
discussion,  enquiry,  further  observation  ?  What 
necessity  to  wait  ?  The  result  is  there — what  more  do 
they  want  ?  There  is  no  necessity  for  big  scientific 
words,  for  explanations  in  an  incomprehensible  lan¬ 
guage  :  the  miracle  is  clear,  dazzlingly  evident !  It 
does  not  need  to  be  a  doctor  to  see  it.  Hosanna  ! 

Too  often  it  happens  that  either  the  family,  the 
benefactors  of  the  patient,  or  the  directors  of  the  pil¬ 
grimage  to  which  the  patient  belonged,  noisily 
express  their  belief  and  joy;  they  chant  the  Mag¬ 
nificat ,  acclaim  the  ”miracul6,”  organise  ceremonies 
of  thanksgiving  on  returning  to  their  parish — all 


THE  FACTS 


6g 

before  the  supposed  cure  has  been  recognised  by  the 
competent  authorities,  or  has  been  subjected  to  the 
test  of  time. 

Frequently  also  the  Press,  and  above  all  the 
Catholic  Press,  in  its  desire  to  serve  the  good  cause 
and  announce  the  news,  acts  with  a  rapidity  which  is 
not  without  danger :  it  publishes  some  sensational 
fact,  broadcasting  it  over  the  country,  without  either 
criticism,  discussion,  or  official  confirmation.  Thus 
the  reality  of  some  supernatural  cure  is  accepted  on 
totally  inadequate  grounds,  and  before  it  has  been 
passed  and  admitted  as  such  by  the  medical  body* 

In  such  conditions  it  is  easy  to  see  that  the  enemies 
of  religion  and  the  supernatural  have  an  easy  triumph, 
when  in  the  place  of  the  miraculously  cured  whom 
they  expected,  whose  advent  had  been  announced  by 
enthusiastic  pilgrims  or  prematurely  by  the  Press, 
they  see  some  person  arrive  who  is  either  not  cured  at 
all,  or  only  partially  so,  or  who  has  never  been  abso¬ 
lutely  normal.  From  some  such  prematurely  an¬ 
nounced  or  absolutely  false  fact,  many  jump  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  miracles  of  Lourdes  are 
either  imaginative,  or  the  products  of  superstition  or 
fraud,  and  forthwith  proceed  to  throw  discredit  and 
suspicion  upon  the  medical  body  at  the  Bureau. 

It  is  very  clear  that  a  vigorous  control  must  be  con¬ 
stantly  exercised  with  regard  to  all  the  cures  obtained 
at  Lourdes,  so  that  public  opinion  may  not  be 
deceived.  It  is  not  less  necessary  to  proceed  always 
with  caution  and  deliberation. 

At  Lourdes  it  is  rare  that  medical  evidence  is 
present  at  the  precise  moment  that  a  wound  cicatrises, 


70 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


a  fracture  consolidates,  or  some  moribund  abruptly 
returns  to  health. 

The  certification  or  verification  of  a  cure  cannot  be 
suddenly  made.  Generally  the  doctors  have  only 
before  them  some  patient  who  avers  that  now  he  is 
well,  and  has  passed  from  extreme  illness  to  a  state 
of  health. 

To  support  and  confirm  this  statement,  the  medical 
experts  must  conduct  careful  and  scrupulous  enquiries, 
and  it  is  absolutely  necessary  for  them  to  base  their 
opinion  on  irrefutable  documents,  on  trustworthy 
evidence,  so  that  they  may  be  capable  of  refuting  all 
objections. 

This  has  been  the  precise  end  for  which  the  Medical 
Bureau  was  established  in  1882. 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU 


The  role  of  the  Bureau — Faith  and  Science — Dr.  de  St  Maclou 
— Dr.  Boissarie — The  Bureau  at  the  present  day — Dr.  Cox 
— Voluntary  collaborators — The  work  shared  by  all  the 
doctors — Enquiries — The  official  reports — Public  meetings 
— Discussions — Continued  careful  study — Conscience  and 
good  faith — The  change  in  medical  opinion — The  publica¬ 
tion  of  cures — Reply  to  the  critics — The  Bureau  cannot 
be  a  hospital  clinic. 

“  Those  doctors  and  students  who  enter  the  Medical  Bureau 
should  first  salute  the  statue  of  St  Luke  as  they  go  to  take  up 
their  work  of  charity.  Having  done  this,  they  will  only  lower 
the  banner  of  Science  before  Truth  itself :  for  Science  is  of 
men,  whilst  Truth  is  from  God.” — Dr.  Feron-Vrau  :  Address 
to  the  Catholic  Medical  Faculty  of  Lille. 


I 


HE  role  of  the  Medical  Bureau  is  first  and  fore- 


X  most  to  establish  and  demonstrate  the  extra¬ 
ordinary  and  extra-natural  character  of  the  cures  at 
Lourdes.  The  enquiry  as  to  the  cause  of  these  cures, 
and  the  affirmation  of  their  supernatural  character,  is 
the  affair  of  the  ecclesiastical  authorities.  It  seems  to 
me  that  this  gives  a  perfect  security  to  those  scientific 
men  who  refuse  to  enter  the  domain  of  the  miraculous  : 
it  gives  them  a  guarantee  which  should  incite  them 
not  to  hold  aloof  from  the  work  of  examination  to 
which  they  are  cordially  invited. 

The  number  of  sick  who  come  to  implore  their  cure 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


7  2 

is  a  constantly  growing  one.  In  the  interests  of 
research  and  truth,  it  is  necessary  to  furnish  means  of 
study,  control,  and  evidence,  in  order  to  combat  un¬ 
believing  critics  and  those  who  are  in  bad  faith. 

Renan  maintained  that  scientific  proof  of  a  miracle 
could  not  be  obtained.  “  The  supernatural  does  not 
exist!  Consequently  a  miracle  is  impossible.”  But 
the  miraculous  nevertheless  shows  itself  most  clearly 
on  the  banks  of  the  Gave,  despite  the  protests  of  so- 
called  Science.  Faith  will  discuss  the  matter  with 
Science,  which  latter  demands  evidence  and  proof, 
although  it  is  often  with  the  hope  that  definite  proof 
will  not  be  forthcoming. 

To  do  this  Faith  has  not  asked  Science  to  meet  her 
in  the  Universities,  nor  at  the  reunions  of  learned 
societies ;  she  has  asked  her  instead  to  come  and  dis¬ 
cuss  the  matter  courteously  with  her  at  the  foot  of  the 
Grotto.  There  Faith  claims  to  be  victorious,  and  to 
compel  her  adversary  to  submit  to  the  evidence,  she 
demands  that  both  believers  and  unbelievers  shall 
come  to  see  for  themselves,  shall  study  the  facts  on  the 
spot.  She  does  not  reject  any  criticism,  any  discus¬ 
sion,  but  promises  to  give  Science,  if  she  on  her  part 
is  loyal,  scientific  proof  of  the  reality  of  the  super¬ 
natural  and  its  effects.  Faith  will  herself  enlighten 
her  at  this  well-spring  of  the  supernatural,  with  a 
light  capable  of  dissipating  the  most  obstinate  pre¬ 
judices. 

Those  who  follow  Renan  by  denying  the  super¬ 
natural,  for  the  most  part  are  ignorant  of  the  fact  that 
there  exists  at  Lourdes  a  veritable  clinic,  open  to 
all  and  unique  in  the  world  for  the  number  and  variety 


THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU 


7  3 


of  pathological  cases  which  can  be  observed  there, 
where  each  one  has  the  right  and  the  possibility  of 
making  acquaintance  with  and  studying  the  super¬ 
natural  :  this  clinic  is  the  Medical  Bureau. 

It  was  in  1885  by  the  help  of  Providence  that  a 
Catholic  doctor,  as  retiring  as  he  was  learned,  by 
founding  the  Medical  Bureau,  began  that  work  which 
has  allowed  the  incredulous  to  come  in  contact  with 
the  manifestations  of  the  supernatural. 

This  strange  institution,  this  extraordinary 
clinic,  had  its  birth,  to  begin  with,  in  a  modest 
wooden  hut  close  to  the  piscines.  There  it  was  that 
up  to  the  year  1891  Dr.  de  St  Maclou  conducted  the 
first  enquiries  into  the  cures  obtained  by  the  inter¬ 
cession  of  the  Queen  of  Heaven.  Assisted  only  by 
some  priest  or  Religious  who  served  as  secretary  and 
entered  the  certificates  in  a  primitive  register,  Dr.  de 
St  Maclou  alone  was  responsible  for  the  examinations 
and  the  conclusions  arrived  at.  Little  by  little  other 
doctors  began  to  arrive,  drawn  either  by  curiosity,  or 
later  by  the  desire  of  explaining  naturally  these  cures, 
which  became  more  and  more  numerous. 

In  this  way  they  began  the  study  which  has  upset 
all  their  theories.  In  1892,  when  the  late  Dr. 
Boissarie  succeeded  to  the  post  of  Dr.  de  St  Maclou, 
more  than  150  doctors  had  visited  the  Bureau  during 
the  course  of  that  summer;  and  now  for  thirty 
years  these  cures  have  been  the  subject  of  minute 
enquiry,  of  serious  and  conscientious  investigation, 
and  are  subjected  to  the  most  rigorous  control. 

Dr.  Boissarie,  who  was  so  well  known  by  sight  to 
all  who  visited  Lourdes,  and  whose  name  is  known 


74 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


throughout  the  world,  directed  the  Bureau  for  thirty 
years,  with  a  loyalty  and  professional  skill  which  were 
universally  recognised. 

This  excellent  master,  who  was  justly  called  “the 
Judge  of  the  Supernatural,”  died  piously  at  over 
eighty  years  of  age  on  June  28,  1917. 

The  Bishop  of  Tarbes  and  Lourdes,  Monsignor 
Schoepfer,  in  collaboration  with  my  colleague,  Dr. 
Le  Bee,  the  President  of  the  Society  of  St  Luke, 
entrusted  me  with  the  task  of  succeeding  him,  who 
had  so  sympathetically  welcomed  my  help  during  a 
number  of  years,  and  for  whom  I  shall  always  pre¬ 
serve  the  most  affectionate  respect. 

I  desire  here  to  thank  Monsignor  the  Bishop  most 
sincerely  for  the  confidence  he  has  shown  me  in  ap¬ 
pointing  me  to  this  arduous  post. 

To-day  the  Medical  Bureau  has  a  comfortable  and 
spacious  installation  beneath  the  north  ramp  of  the 
Rosary  alongside  the  offices  of  the  Hospitality.  The 
room  where  the  examinations  are  held  is  surmounted 
by  a  statue  of  St  Luke. 

Here  the  two  doctors  who  are  in  charge  of  the 
Bureau  are  installed,  assisted  by  their  devoted  col¬ 
league  Dr.  Cox,  who  for  more  than  twenty-five  years 
has  been  the  unwearied  secretary  of  our  Lady  of 
Lourdes.  They  would  be  insufficient  for  the  work, 
owing  to  the  enormous  number  of  cases  and  the  visits 
of  so  many  medical  men  to  the  international  clinic 
of  Lourdes,  were  they  not  assisted  by  numbers  of 
these  colleagues,  many  of  them  well  known  for  their 
science,  who  lend  their  aid  and  take  an  active  part  in 
the  work.  Under  the  direction  of  the  President  and 


DR.  BOISSARIE 


THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU  7 5 

Vice-President,  these  visiting  doctors  proceed  them¬ 
selves  to  make  the  official  enquiries. 

XI 

So  many  patients  present  themselves,  either  to 
testify  to  their  cure  or  to  bring  proof  that  it  has  stood 
the  test  of  time,  that  the  Medical  Bureau  constitutes, 
as  it  were,  a  veritable  court  of  the  miraculous,  where 
all  ages,  classes,  and  varieties  of  disease  are  repre¬ 
sented.  During  the  summer  months  of  each  year 
our  Bureau  offers  medical  men  a  most  interesting  field 
of  study.  With  us  it  is  impossible  to  specialise;  one 
can  never  see  in  advance  the  work  that  it  will  be 
necessary  to  undertake.  The  most  interesting  cases 
present  themselves  when  they  are  least  expected.  The 
personnel  examining  the  cases  changes  very  fre¬ 
quently,  and  so  we  have  successively  fresh  doctors 
analysing  facts,  discussing  objections,  verifying  evi¬ 
dence  and  deducing  conclusions. 

In  the  majority  of  the  cases  the  cures  are  studied 
by  doctors  having  no  official  connection  with  the 
Bureau;  they  embrace  experienced  general  practi¬ 
tioners,  well-known  professors,  specialists,  etc.,  whose 
names  are  invariably  inscribed  in  our  registers,  and 
whose  good  faith  cannot  for  one  moment  be  called  in 
question. 

Not  infrequently  the  examinations  are  made  by  the 
doctors  who  have  had  the  patient  under  their  care 
during  the  malady  in  question.  In  this  case  we 
demand  full  particulars  from  them,  and  in  return  give 
our  unbiased  opinion,  so  that  in  a  measure  they  are 
constrained  to  control  the  reports  that  are  published 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


;6 

concerning  their  patients.  By  this  method  of  pro¬ 
cedure  the  Bureau  is  freed  from  being  under  the  influ¬ 
ence  of  any  school  or  dominating  personality,  and  its 
declarations  thus  have  a  very  definite  scientific  value. 

In  our  enquiries  we  continually  do  our  best  to  obtain 
precision  and  accuracy.  We  look  into  all  the  evi¬ 
dence,  examine  all  who  are  competent  to  express  an 
opinion,  neglect  no  clue,  and  especially  value  the 
explanation  and  remarks  given  by  the  practitioner 
who  has  had  charge  of  the  case. 

Thus  the  history  of  each  patient  and  each  cure  is 
not  only  recorded  in  our  Bureau,  but  also  by  the  visit¬ 
ing  medical  men,  who  establish  it  by  the  most  precise 
details. 

At  Lourdes  during  the  pilgrimages  there  are  not 
only  the  doctors  officially  attached  to  the  pilgrimages, 
but  others  also  are  called  to  give  their  opinion  on  the 
cures.  They  may  perhaps  be  chance  visitors,  or  have 
come  expressly  to  carry  out  researches.  Definite  con¬ 
clusions  are  never  arrived  at  in  the  Bureau  without 
asking  the  opinion  of  all  the  doctors  who  are  present. 

As  we  said  before,  we  have  sometimes  the  doctor 
who  has  had  the  case  under  treatment,  who  has  fol¬ 
lowed  its  whole  evolution,  and  has  ineffectually  done 
his  best  to  stay  the  progress  of  the  disease.  After 
the  cure  the  patient’s  doctor  is  asked  to  formulate  his 
opinion  and  give  a  definite  conclusion. 

The  Medical  Bureau  commences  by  making  a  care¬ 
ful  winnowing  of  all  the  facts  presented  for  its 
examination.  It  verifies  and  classes  the  evidence, 
questions  and  examines  the  patients.  If  the  slightest 
doubt  exists,  appeal  is  made  to  well-known  specialists 


I 


a 


THE  BUREAU  DES  CONST ATATIONS  MEDICALES. 


-t/ 


' 


: 


- 


.  • 


THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU 


77 


or  professors.  Later  on  the  doctors  not  attached  to 
the  Bureau,  those  who  have  treated  the  patient  at 
home,  occupy  themselves  with  the  case. 

It  is  surely  permissible  to  declare  that  our  enquiries 
are  conducted  with  the  strictest  impartiality,  and 
with  the  same  conscientious  exactitude  that  is  required 

for  the  various  observations  which  are  the  bases  of  our 

\ 

clinical  and  biological  studies.  The  basis  is  not  an 
idea,  an  abstraction;  it  rests  on  the  solid  ground  of 
real  facts  definitely  and  scientifically  demonstrated. 
The  conclusions  arrived  at  in  the  clinic  of  Lourdes 
are  destined  to  bring  out  the  ‘  ‘  supernatural  ’  *  factor 
in  these  cures.  One  case  only  of  this  sort,  if  it  is 
scientifically  demonstrated  to  be  obtained  outside  the 
limits  of  natural  law,  is  sufficient  to  prove  the  pos¬ 
sibility  of  the  miraculous.  Consequently  the  Medical 
Bureau  fills  a  role  which  is  of  capital  importance, 
since  it  demonstrates  the  presence  of  ‘  ‘  supernatural  ’  ’ 
facts,  and  as  a  result  annihilates  the  rationalistic  thesis. 

It  is  sufficient  to  have  once  assisted  at  one  of  the 
stances  at  the  Bureau  at  Lourdes  to  be  convinced  that 
the  sole  thing  sought  there  is  the  truth  :  everything  is 
done  openly  and  conscientiously.  The  miraculous  is 
not  sought  for;  the  idea  is  not  to  multiply  super¬ 
natural  facts — in  fact,  every  effort  is  made  to  remove 
everything  which  is  at  all  suspicious;  to  be  accepted 
the  supernatural  must  be  clearly  and  certainly  evi¬ 
dent.  With  anything  doubtful  judgement  is  always 
suspended  for  as  long  a  time  as  is  necessary.  Suspect 
or  doubtful  cases  are  formally  rejected ;  cases  not  pre¬ 
senting  evidence  of  the  supernatural  are  dismissed 
without  discussion. 


78 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


At  the  Bureau  the  first  depositions  of  the  witnesses 
are  recorded,  the  certificates  brought  by  the  sick  are 
verified;  then  the  patients  themselves  are  examined, 
and  from  all  this  a  definite  report  is  drawn  up,  which, 
together  with  the  patient,  the  practitioners  present 
examine  and  discuss. 

All  medical  men  without  respect  of  nationality  or 
religious  belief  have  only  to  knock  at  the  door  of  the 
Bureau,  and  give  evidence  that  they  are  medical  men, 
to  be  at  once  invited  to  enter  and  examine  the  cases. 
The  question  of  the  miraculous  is  not  mentioned,  no 
one  is  asked  to  believe  in  the  supernatural.  They  are 
simply  invited  to  give  their  advice  as  clinicians ;  they 
are  told:  “Here  is  a  definite  fact.  Do  you  recog¬ 
nise  its  existence  ?  If  not,  speak  no  more  about  the 
subject.  If  you  do,  state  whether  or  no  traces  of  the 
old  malady  exist.  If  not,  can  you  explain  naturally 
this  sudden  and  complete  cure?”  If  the  experts  are 
unanimous,  well  and  good.  If  only  in  a  considerable 
majority,  then  time  must  confirm  the  cure  before  it  is 
declared  to  be  supernatural.  What  better  guarantees 
can  be  required  ? 

I  have  before  mentioned  that  all  the  doctors  are 
asked  to  give  their  help  in  examining  the  patients. 
If  we  ourselves  examine  the  cases,  I  am  of  opinion 
that  we  should  not  take  a  preponderating  part;  our 
aim  should  be,  above  all,  to  preside  over  the  debates, 
to  register  the  opinions  of  those  we  have  designated 
to  examine  the  cases,  and  after  they  have  come  to  a 
conclusion,  then  to  announce  the  definite  decision  of 
the  Bureau. 

If  the  cases  were  studied,  controlled,  and  published 


THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU 


79 


solely  by  doctors  permanently  attached  to  Lourdes — 
living  and  having  their  being,  so  to  speak,  in  an  atmo¬ 
sphere  of  the  supernatural — then  their  conclusions 
might  perhaps  reasonably  be  called  in  question.  But 
what  particularly  characterises  the  Bureau  is  that  the 
various  judgements  are  given  after  conscientious 
examinations  by  medical  men  coming  from  all  parts ; 
each  year  we  can  cite  the  presence  of  various  pro¬ 
fessors,  members  of  hospital  staffs,  specialists,  and 
old  hospital  residents  (internes). 

During  1920  a  Swiss  medical  man,  on  leaving  here, 
remarked  to  me  that  the  time  he  had  spent  at  the 
Medical  Bureau  had  been  a  revelation  to  him.  “  In 
Switzerland,”  said  this  good  colleague,  “scientific 
circles  are  generally  convinced  that  what  takes  place 
at  Lourdes  is  either  commonplace  or  not  worth  atten¬ 
tion.  They  believe  that  the  examination  of  the 
patients  and  the  making  out  of  the  reports  are 
entrusted  to  one  or  two  doctors,  whose  good  faith  they 
do  not  impugn,  but  they  assert  that  they  are  so  under 
the  influence  of  their  surroundings  that  they  are 
inclined  to  see  the  miraculous  everywhere.  You  have 
enabled  me  to  convince  myself  that  this  opinion  is 
absolutely  false,  since  for  the  most  part  during  the 
time  that  I  have  been  at  the  Bureau,  the  cases  have 
been  studied  by  doctors  who  have  been  visiting 
Lourdes.  All  you  demand  is  loyalty,  and  you  have 
been  so  impartially  careful  and  scrupulous  as  to 
make  our  reports  the  official  conclusions  of  the 
Bureau.  I  leave  with  the  conviction  that  at  Lourdes 
all  the  examinations  are  conducted  most  carefully 
and  conscientiously,  and  shall  most  certainly 


80  THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 

make  my  opinion  known  when  I  return  to  Switzer¬ 
land.*  * 

The  same  language  practically  was  used  to  me  in 
the  case  of  a  Protestant  lady  doctor.  In  my  opinion 
such  statements  as  these  should  convince  the  most 
sceptical ;  they  constitute  a  most  practical  testimonial 
as  to  the  value  of  our  clinic,  which  is  still  too  little 
known  to  the  scientific  world. 

The  doctors  we  ask  at  Lourdes  to  assist  us  are  not 
colleagues  who  are  known  to  us;  they  are  not  prac¬ 
titioners  already  convinced.  They  are  of  diverse 
creeds.  We  simply  ask  them  to  examine  because  they 
happen  to  be  present.  Amongst  them  there  are  some 
whose  names  carry  authority,  whose  evidence  cannot 
be  possibly  called  in  question.  When  they  recognise 
that  the  results  we  obtain  at  Lourdes  go  counter  to  all 
experience,  and  do  not  coincide  with  results  ordinarily 
met  with,  it  is  impossible  to  believe  that  they  have  also 
been  influenced  in  every  case  by  suggestion,  that  they 
are  in  error  when  they  state  they  have  witnessed  in¬ 
stantaneous  cures  of  such  and  such  an  organic  disease. 

When  a  cure  occurs,  the  examination  of  that  case  is 
entrusted  to  a  certain  number  of  medical  men,  either 
chosen  haphazard,  or  according  to  their  speciality 
amongst  those  present,  and  they  may  belong  to  any 
school  of  thought,  creed,  or  nationality.  They 
examine  with  care  the  antecedents,  the  history  of  the 
case,  its  cure.  They  search  out  all  the  evidence 
capable  of  leading  to  certitude,  and  essay  to  base 
their  judgement  on  certain  proofs. 

Having  each  made  up  their  mind  according  to  the 
examination  of  the  patient,  witnesses,  documents, 


THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU  81 

certificates,  etc.,  a  report  is  drawn  up;  this  is  then 
read  before  the  rest  of  the  doctors  present. 

The  case  is  then  generally  discussed,  each  being 
free  to  give  his  opinion  as  to  the  conclusion  to  be 
adopted.  In  1920  I  drew  up  a  definite  formula  com¬ 
prising  the  following  questions,  to  which  all  were 
asked  to  reply  by  either  Yes  or  No  : 

I.  Did  the  disease  really  exist  ? 

II.  Has  there  been  an  absolute  cure  ?  Or  only  an 
evident  amelioration-? 

III.  Is  there  any  reason  to  postpone* the  con¬ 
clusion  ? 

IV.  Can  the  cure  be  attributed  to  natural  means  ? 

Thus  each  case  of  cure  is  submitted  to  a  study 
where  discussion  and  cross-examination  can  be 
exercised. 

Ill 

It  is  perfectly  evident,  then,  that  there  is  no  secrecy 
or  concealment  with  regard  to  the  cures  at  the 
Medical  Bureau.  On  the  contrary,  there  is  a  con¬ 
siderable  measure  of  publicity.  However,  whilst  in 
the  interests  of  truth  the  greatest  publicity  possible 
should  be  aimed  at,  yet  it  is  indispensable,  in  the 
examination  of  the  cases,  to  use  much  discretion,  and 
even  at  times  secrecy,  as  must  be  done  in  the  course 
of  ordinary  medical  examinations.  For  this  reason, 
in  1920  I  put  in  force  an  old  regulation  which  had 
become  obsolete,  and  this  was  that  the  room  in  which 
the  medical  examinations  were  carried  out  should  be 
absolutely  strictly  reserved  for  doctors  only,  and 

6 


82 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


those  witnesses  or  other  persons  concerned  whom  it 
was  necessary  to  interrogate. 

Little  by  little  the  custom  had  come  in  at  Lourdes 
of  penetrating  into  all  the  rooms  of  the  Medical 
Bureau,  even  at  the  times  of  investigation  and 
examination  of  the  patients.  It  frequently  happened 
in  consequence  that  freshly  arrived  medical  men  were 
unable  to  gain  entrance.  Again,  this  invasion  of  the 
Bureau  had  a  very  awkward  aspect,  in  view  of  the 
necessarily  private  character  of  some  of  the  consulta¬ 
tions. 

An  incident  which  occurred  in  1913  very  definitely 
comes  to  mind.  I  was  leaning  over  a  table  making 
out  the  report,  which  my  colleague  Dr.  Boissarie  had 
asked  me  to  do,  when  I  suddenly  received  on  my 
shoulders  a  lady  of  no  small  weight,  who,  unable  to 
enter  by  the  door,  had  with  the  aid  of  her  husband 
got  in  through  the  window.  I  may  add  that  she  was 
almost  immediately  followed  by  a  young  seminarist, 
eager  to  view  a  “miracule”  at  close  quarters. 

At  the  Lourdes  clinic  the  examinations  are  not 
made  superficially  or  hastily.  The  investigations  at 
the  Bureau,  for  the  most  part,  take  a  considerable 
time,  are  laborious  and  difficult,  for  serious  errors 
must  be  avoided  above  all  things.  It  mostly  happens 
that  no  doctor  is  on  the  spot  just  at  the  time  of  a 
cure.  Very  often  the  examiners  of  the  case  have  not 
seen  it  before  the  cure.  It  is  then  necessary,  by 
documents,  examinations  of  absolutely  reliable  wit¬ 
nesses,  and  researches  of  all  sorts,  to  be  able  to  affirm 
with  certitude  the  previous  existence  of  the  disease. 
It  can  be  well  understood  that  much  labour  and  time 


THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU 


83 

are  needed  to  make  the  necessary  investigations,  to 
classify  and  verify  documents  and  certificates,  to  call 
in  the  collaboration  of  witnesses  whose  evidence  shall 
be  above  suspicion. 

The  official  report  first  being  made,  then  follows 
the  patient’s  account,  and  after  that  the  certificates; 
these  are  often  incomplete,  and  cannot  furnish  the 
necessary  guarantees  without  further  study  and 
enquiry.  This  necessitates  demanding  further  par¬ 
ticulars  from  the  doctors  who  have  had  charge  of  the 
patient  before  the  pilgrimage,  and  perhaps  also  from 
those  who  have  received  them  cured  on  their  return 
home. 

Some  cases  are  requested  to  attend  at  the  Bureau 
in  the  morning  and  afternoon  for  several  days.  Each 
time  they  are  put  into  the  hands  of  different 
examiners,  who  draw  out  fresh  reports.  If  there  is 
still  doubt  or  a  chance  of  error,  the  enquiries  are 
pursued  at  home  by  means  of  doctors  either  in  Paris 
or  the  provinces;  by  these  means  we  get  correspon¬ 
dents  everywhere,  and  build  up  a  regular  network  of 
information.  In  this  manner  elaborate  and  very  com¬ 
plete  reports  are  drawn  up  :  certificates  of  arrival, 
report  of  the  examination,  interrogation  of  patient 
and  witnesses,  correspondence,  etc.  .  .  .  Then  the 
observations  and  notes  of  the  doctor  treating  the  case, 
letters,  and  all  sorts  of  particulars  of  the  case  obtained 
later,  have  to  be  classified.  The  whole  report  con¬ 
stitutes  quite  a  large  work,  which  is  based  finally  on 
undeniable  evidence. 

If  a  case  does  not  appear  to  be  clearly  outside  the 
normal,  the  examination  is  stopped,  and  it  is  dis- 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


84 

cussed  no  further.  Occasionally  this  causes  violent 
attacks  on  the  part  of  those  who  believed  or  pre¬ 
tended  themselves  cured,  and  are  very  unwilling  to 
be  excluded  from  the  list  of  privileged  persons. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  cure  of  all  maladies  which 
have  a  definite  psychological  or  nervous  origin  are 
put  on  one  side.  We  very  rarely  retain  such  cases, 
considering  them  only  as  simple  ameliorations,  even 
though  they  may  have  been  very  extraordinary. 

Those  cases  only  are  permanently  registered  which 
are  complete,  have  stood  the  test  of  time,  and  have 
been  seriously  and  conscientiously  studied  in  all  their 
details. 

IV 

After  patients  have  been  seen  by  several  medical 
men,  and  their  “dossier”  contains  the  opinions  of 
three,  five,  or  perhaps  ten  conscientious  practitioners 
or  specialists;  when  again  these  cures  are  controlled 
by  other  doctors,  of  differing  schools  of  thought, 
nationality,  and  religion ;  when  the  conclusion  is  pro¬ 
nounced  only  after  all  objections  have  been  heard, 
and  all  have  been  able  to  express  an  opinion — then  I 
hold  that  this  method  of  examination  constitutes  an 
enquiry  which  it  would  be  difficult  to  make  more  com¬ 
plete  and  thorough. 

As  a  result  of  the  work  of  the  Bureau  and  the 
publication  of  its  findings,  the  representatives  of 
Science  have  been  compelled  to  put  their  silence  and 
disdain  on  one  side.  They  have  been  obliged  to 
follow  the  irresistible  current  which  has  now  for  some 
years  drawn  the  medical  world  to  acknowledge  the 
teachings  of  Lourdes. 


THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU 


85 

The  great  religious  movement,  of  which  the  little 
Pyrenean  city  is  the  centre,  has  been  accompanied  by 
an  interest  which  is  constantly  growing  amongst  the 
medical  men  of  the  whole  world.  Each  year  we 
register  an  increasing  number  of  colleagues  who  pre¬ 
sent  themselves  at  the  Bureau,  which  Professor  Duret 
called  “the  greatest,  the  most  interesting,  the  most 
extraordinary  clinic  in  the  world.”1 

In  1905  three  hundred  and  forty-six  doctors  loyally 
signed  a  public  declaration  to  the  effect  that  “  great 
numbers  of  cases  considered  hopeless  have  been  cured 
at  Lourdes  by  some  action  of  which  Science  is 
ignorant,  and  which  cannot  be  rationally  explained 
by  the  laws  of  Nature.” 

We  are,  then,  authorised  to  say  without  fear  of 
contradiction  that  the  cures  which  occur  at  our  sanc¬ 
tuaries  are  well  worth  study,  and  that  they  can  be 
submitted  to  scientific  criticism. 

Science  rarely  disputes  the  facts,  she  discusses  only 
their  interpretation.  This  interpretation  cannot  but 
be  beneficial  when  it  allows  itself  to  be  guided,  not 
by  prejudice  and  preconceived  opinion,  but  by  care¬ 
ful  examination  and  honest  discussion  in  conjunction 
with  other  colleagues  of  well-known  probity  and  com¬ 
petence.  These  conditions,  we  do  not  hesitate  to 
say,  are  found  at  Lourdes,  and  of  the  work  there 
Bernheim  himself  said:  “The  facts  exist.  All  the 
observations  have  been  made  by  conscientious  men.” 

Our  archives  contain  the  reports  of  all  those  cases 
of  supernatural  cure  which  have  been  published, 
together  with  all  the  different  phases  of  the  enquiry, 

1  Boissarie,  L'CEuvre  de  Lourdes ,  p.  35. 


86 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


and  all  the  various  medical  certificates  which  have 
served  as  a  base  for  this  search  into  the  supernatural. 
The  publication  of  these  archives  has  now  reached  all 
parts  of  the  world,  and  for  the  last  sixty  years  many 
indifferent  and  sceptical  scientific  men  have  been  con¬ 
vinced  by  the  evidence  and  rendered  homage  to  the 
truth.  A  large  number  of  doctors  at  the  present  day, 
of  diverse  creeds,  also  interest  themselves  in  this 
problem  of  the  supernatural,  and  those  who  come  to 
study  the  subject  on  the  spot  carry  to  all  parts 
of  the  world  the  assurance  of  our  good  faith  and 
sincerity. 

Boissarie  recounts  that  Dr.  Bertillon  loyally  recog¬ 
nised  that  ‘  ‘  all  is  done  in  absolute  good  faith ; 
there  is  no  staging  of  effects  at  the  Bureau,  no 
manipulation  of  the  facts.”1 

Moreover,  experience  has  for  a  long  time  demon¬ 
strated  that  the  Bureau  at  Lourdes  shows  always  a 
great  reserve.  This  is  because  it  wishes  to  arrive  at 
a  demonstration  of  the  facts  which  shall  be  free  from 
all  suspicion  and  adverse  criticism,  and  it  is  precisely 
because  of  this  that  the  cures  published  by  the  Bureau 
are  accepted  as  definite  scientific  proofs,  and  are  not 
treated  as  negligible  and  of  no  account. 

The  findings  of  the  Bureau  are  discussed,  and  it  is 
endeavoured  to  show  that  the  facts  put  forward  must 
accord  with  the  laws  of  Science.  The  attempt  to 
explain  the  cures  by  hysteria,  suggestion,  or  un¬ 
known  laws  cannot  succeed. 

Those  who  have  watched  the  manner  in  which 
affairs  are  carried  out  at  the  Bureau,  have  seen  the 

1  Boissarie,  Annales  de  N.  D.  de  Lourdes ,  tome  37,  p.  221. 


THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU  87 

scrupulous  care  and  the  length  of  time  taken  over  our 
decisions,  who  know  also  all  the  reservations  we 
make  before  definitely  concluding  as  to  the  nature  of 
the  malady  and  the  circumstances  of  the  cure,  cannot 
reasonably  continue  to  support  the  theory  of  nervous 
illnesses,  of  suggestion,  etc. — theories  so  often  put 
forward,  and  as  frequently  refuted;  theories  which 
once  were  very  prevalent,  and  still  hold  sway  amongst 
the  ignorant  and  the  prejudiced. 

Those  who  have  come  to  Lourdes  and  taken  part  in 
our  work  know  that  we  preserve  for  registration 
and  publication  only  a  limited  number  amongst  the 
more  remarkable  cures  observed.  The  various  cases 
recorded  in  our  registers  by  no  means  represent  the 
totality  of  the  inexplicable  cases  which  occur  at  the 
rocks  of  Massabielle. 

Not  infrequently,  after  the  return  of  the  pilgrims  to 
their  dioceses,  the  director  of  the  pilgrimage  pub¬ 
lishes  a  list  of  numerous  ameliorations,  and  some¬ 
times  of  definite  cures. 

Boissarie  reports1  that  in  1908,  although  no  case 
belonging  to  the  Lyons  Pilgrimage  had  been  cured 
according  to  the  Bureau,  yet  the  official  bulletin  gave 
a  list  of  no  less  than  -fifty -two.  It  may  certainly  be 
affirmed  that  a  certain  number  of  these  fifty-two  cases 
were  worthy  of  being  retained  in  our  reports,  and 
it  does  sometimes  happen  that  they  are  rectified 
by  communications  from  the  diocesan  directors. 
But  it  is  none  the  less  certain  that  the  majority  of 
these  cases  cited  after  the  return  could  offer  no  such 
degree  of  scientific  proof  as  to  warrant  their  obtaining 

1  Les  Guerisons ,  p.  12. 


88 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


a  place  in  our  archives.  However  that  may  be,  it  is 
certain  that  there  are  quite  a  number  of  cases  cured 
at  the  Grotto  which  absolutely  escape  us. 

Amongst  this  number  are  found  many  isolated 
cases,  patients  who  have  not  come  with  the  pil¬ 
grimages  but  privately,  have  not  stayed  in  hospital 
but  rested  at  some  of  the  hotels,  and  have  not  wished 
to  come  to  the  Bureau,  from  fear  of  attracting 
curiosity  and  of  drawing  upon  themselves  the  atten¬ 
tion  of  the  crowds. 

Again,  there  are  cases  which  have  come  to  Lourdes 
and  during  their  stay  there  have  not  experienced  the 
slightest  change  for  the  better,  but  are  perhaps  cured 
in  the  train  during  the  return  journey  or  a  few  days 
after  in  their  own  homes,  and  such  cases  as  these  do 
not  come  to  our  knowledge. 

It  happens,  therefore,  that  each  year  a  number  of 
cures  are  reported  which  have  not  been  officially  regis¬ 
tered  at  the  Bureau.  But  even  allowing  for  a  certain 
amount  of  exaggeration  in  the  local  statistics,  it  can¬ 
not  be  denied  that  the  number  of  cases  published  in 
our  annals  is  far  below  the  actual  number  of  cures 
obtained,  simply  because  the  field  of  observation  is 
too  vast  for  us  to  take  in  and  chronicle  the  complete 
totality  of  events. 

Whatever  may  be  the  number  of  sick  cured  by  our 
Lady  of  Lourdes,  it  is  certain  that  the  cures  are 
definite  facts.  They  cannot  be  denied ;  it  is  absurd 
to  contradict  what  the  most  sceptical  can  come  and 
observe  for  themselves,  cases  established  and  con¬ 
firmed  by  such  reliable  evidence.  Doctors  who  have 
come  to  the  Bureau,  and  studied  for  themselves  our 


THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU  89 

methods,  know  that  the  cures  of  Lourdes  are  verities 
which  cannot  be  denied. 

V 

Perfection  is  not  of  this  world.  I  willingly  recog¬ 
nise  that  even  with  the  advantages  of  modern  science, 
which  we  at  present  use  or  propose  to  use  in 
the  future  at  our  clinic,  we  shall  never  altogether 
escape  criticism;  there  will  always  remain  some  joints 
in  our  armour.  Still,  it  does  not  follow  that  all  the 
reproaches  addressed  to  the  Bureau  are  by  any  means 
merited. 

Certain  unbelievers  who  do  not  trust  the  Bureau 
and  the  method  in  which  we  conduct  our  examina¬ 
tions,  state  that  to  be  convinced  they  would  require 
that  on  a  certain  definite  date  a  miracle  should  be 
granted,  which  should  be  examined  by  a  number  of 
men  of  science  who  were  all  convinced  sceptics.  This 
seems  to  me  a  somewhat  singular  proposition.  They 
wish,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  to  cite  Providence  before  a 
definite  tribunal,  and  then  examine  its  acts.  When 
a  patient  is  cured  at  Lourdes  outside  natural  laws  by 
the  goodness  of  the  Creator,  the  Medical  Bureau 
studies  the  circumstances  in  which  the  divine  influence 
manifested  itself,  and  examines  the  facts  to  the  best 
of  its  ability. 

It  has,  however,  never  yet  had  the  idea  of  citing  the 
Omnipotent  of  Heaven  before  its  tribunal  at  a  definite 
date.  The  Bureau  awaits  the  time  and  means  which 
the  Sovereign  Master  may  use  to  manifest  his  inter¬ 
vention.  We  can  never  choose  the  moment  for  a  cure 
any  more  than  the  patients  whose  prayers  will  be 


90 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


heard.  During  certain  weeks  it  may  happen  that  we 
have  not  a  single  case  to  register ;  and  then  again,  on 
some  day  quite  a  number  present  themselves  at  the 
Bureau,  waiting  to  have  their  return  to  health 
medically  certified. 

We  are  frequently  reproached  at  the  Medical 
Bureau  for  publishing  too  quickly,  for  “making 
known  cures  which  need  more  examination  and 
research  before  being  definitely  confirmed.”  Our 
worthy  predecessor  long  ago  replied  to  this  accusa¬ 
tion  :  “These  premature  publications,  at  times  ren¬ 
dered  necessary  by  the  impatient  curiosity  of  the  pil¬ 
grims,  who  would  look  elsewhere  for  less  reliable 
accounts,  have  besides  their  inconveniences  certain 
advantages.  They  induce  free  discussion  about  all 
the  facts,  discussions  in  which  the  most  diverse 
opinions  are  brought  forward,  at  a  time  when  the 
facts  are  still  fresh  in  the  mind  and  everybody  knows 
about  them.  A  work  which  demands  the  light  of  day 
and  rests  upon  definite  evidence  cannot  be  completed 
in  the  silence  of  the  study.”  I  acknowledge  that 
sometimes  some  cases  published  too  hastily  by  the 
journals  must  be  rejected;  the  same  occasionally 
happens  with  regard  to  reports  in  our  registers,  which 
after  further  enquiry  have  to  be  cancelled.  When 
this  occurs,  however,  the  facts  are  invariably  con¬ 
scientiously  noticed  in  our  archives,  and  brought  to 
the  notice  of  the  public  by  means  of  our  official  organ, 
the  Journal  of  the  Grotto. 

Others  have  accused  the  Bureau  of  not  being  suffi¬ 
ciently  scrupulous  and  scientific  in  its  examinations. 
Thus  Dr.  Le  Fur  of  Paris,  in  a  communication  that 


THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU 


9i 


he  read  before  the  Society  of  St  Luke  in  1901,  summed 
up  * f  the  desiderata  demanded  by  those  who  were  of 
a  definitely  scientific  spirit.” 

These  desiderata,  according  to  our  eminent  col¬ 
league,  were  as  follows : 

(1)  “A  severe  winnowing  should  be  made,  and 
only  those  cases  absolutely  inexplicable  retained,  such 
as  any  person  in  good  faith  must  acknowledge.” 

But  I  have  already  stated  that  this  is  the  chief  pre¬ 
occupation  of  the  Bureau.  I  brought  forward  as 
proof  of  this  the  struggle  we  are  obliged  to  wage 
against  the  enthusiasm  of  the  crowd  and  the  haste  of 
the  Press.  I  also  instanced  the  rectifications  which 
we  publish  each  year  with  regard  to  accounts  of  cures 
prematurely  given  to  the  public. 

A  notice  is  prominently  displayed  in  the  hall  of 
the  Bureau  calling  the  attention  of  our  colleagues  to 
the  absolute  necessity  of  successive  and  long  examina¬ 
tions,  as  these  alone  can  give  sufficient  guarantee  to 
reports  published  at  the  earliest  opportunity. 

In  September,  1920,  in  a  communication  inserted 
in  the  Journal  of  the  Grotto ,  I  called  attention  to  the 
grave  consequences  which  can  ensue  from  the  pub¬ 
lication  by  unauthorised  journals  of  fantastic  reports 
and  pretended  cures  which  are  sent  to  them,  and  I 
insisted  on  the  support  that  such  recitals  furnished 
to  the  enemies  of  the  supernatural. 

(2)  “  Each  patient  arriving  at  Lourdes  must  be 
furnished  with  a  satisfactory  medical  certificate.” 

Alas  !  It  does  not  suffice  either  to  write  or  say 
“the  organisers  of  pilgrimages  must  demand  from 
the  doctors  very  detailed  certificates.”  The  patients 


92 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


brought  to  Lourdes  by  the  Association  of  “  Notre 
Dame  du  Salut,”  or  those  brought  by  the  more  im¬ 
portant  pilgrimages,  usually  possess  a  definite  report, 
and  the  certificate  from  a  doctor  who  has  attended 
them  and  seen  them  shortly  before  their  departure 
for  Lourdes.  We  have  ourselves  drawn  up  a  definite 
formula  which  we  should  like  to  see  uniformly 
adopted  by  all.  But,  as  I  shall  relate  in  the  next 
chapter,  it  is  very  often  difficult  to  obtain  detailed 
and  exact  descriptions  of  the  illness.  Even  if  the 
forms  made  and  approved  are  adopted  for  the 
medical  observations,  how  many  medical  men  there 
are  who  have  either  not  the  time  or  the  inclination  to 
do  this,  and  who  will  continue  to  give  certificates 
written  in  haste  and  carelessly  worded. 

Again,  how  obtain  definite  certificates  in  the  case 
of  isolated  pilgrims  who  belong  to  no  definitely 
organised  party  ? 

In  such  cases  when,  as  so  often  happens,  there  is 
this  unfortunate  gap  which  it  is  difficult  to  fill  up,  the 
fault  must  not  be  attributed  to  the  Medical  Bureau. 
Careful  and  accurate  certificates  are  good.  An 
enquiry  conducted  with  abundant  witnesses  and  all 
scientific  precautions  is  better  still. 

(3)  “  In  certain  cases,  a  photograph  or  radiograph 
should  be  attached  to  the  notes.  In  the  case  of  con¬ 
sumption  the  examination  for  the  bacilli  is  indis¬ 
pensable.’ J 

It  is  seldom  now  that  patients  suffering  from 
osseous,  articular,  visceral,  or  pulmonary  lesions  do 
not  bring  a  radiograph  with  them  to  the  Bureau. 
Again,  the  result  of  the  examination  for  tubercle 


THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU 


93 


bacilli  is  usually  stated  in  the  case  of  the  tuberculous. 
I  have  installed  at  the  Bureau  a  microscope  and  a 
small  room  for  eye  examinations,  and  a  colleague  at 
Lourdes  has  placed  at  our  disposal  his  laboratory  for 
radiology.  But  it  is  indispensable  to  bear  in  mind 
that  those  who  come  to  demand  their  cure  of  our 
Lady  of  Lourdes  cannot  be  compared  to  those 
patients  who  visit  some  definite  health  resort :  in  the 
one  case  the  main  preoccupation  is  the  scrupulous 
observance  of  all  the  details  of  the  treatment,  and  an 
absolute  submission  to  all  the  advice;  whilst  in  the 
other  the  medical  point  of  view  is  reduced  to  the 
minimum  in  the  eyes  of  those  who  place  their  confi¬ 
dence  in  the  powerful  intervention  of  our  blessed 
Lady. 

Those  who  demand  so  urgently,  and  with  so  much 
noise,  that  the  Bureau  at  Lourdes  should  take  the  first 
place  in  this  city  of  the  miraculous,  totally  ignore  the 
mentality  of  the  pilgrims.  Before  the  Bureau,  and 
leaving  it  absolutely  in  the  shade,  is  the  Grotto,  the 
various  religious  exercises,  the  Procession  of  the 
Blessed  Sacrament,  the  Basilica,  and  the  blessed 
Virgin  herself. 

It  must  be  carefully  borne  in  mind  that  for  the  sick 
at  Lourdes  the  religious  aspect  is  all,  the  medical  side 
practically  negligible.  When  this  is  recognised  it 
will  be  seen  how  absolutely  chimerical  are  various 
suggestions  that  have  been  put  forward  to  render 
the  prodigies  that  happen  at  Lourdes  more  complete 
and  certain. 

For  instance : 

“  The  individual  witness  of  medical  men  is  insufft- 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


94 

cient.  Let  there  be  appointed  a  definite  commission 
charged  with  the  control  of  the  certificates  and  the 
drawing  up  of  the  reports.” 

“  A  radiograph  must  be  made  in  all  those  cases  in 
which  it  is  essential  for  diagnosis,  or  for  the  result  of 
treatment.  A  photograph  should  be  taken  before 
and  after  the  cure  in  every  case.” 

“  There  must  be  a  microscopic  examination  of  all 
tumours.  It  is  indispensable  that  the  same  doctor 
examines  the  patient  on  arrival,  and  again  after  the 
cure.” 

“  In  each  piscine  there  should  be  a  doctor,  so  that 
he  may  be  present  at  the  cure,  and  notice  the  various 
phases  of  the  return  to  health.” 

Anyone  who  makes  such  demands  as  these  can  have 
very  little  idea  of  the  actual  condition  of  things  at 
Lourdes. 

If  all  these  researches  can  be  used  in  some  clinic, 
where  patients  come  voluntarily  to  trust  themselves  in 
the  hands  of  specialists;  or  if  at  hospital  one  can  be 
somewhat  exigent  towards  patients  who  in  return  for 
treatment  contribute  towards  clinical  research  and  the 
training  of  the  students,  the  case  is  quite  different  at 
Lourdes. 

I  have  mentioned  how  short  the  stay  usually  is  of 
these  unfortunates  who  have  been  abandoned  by 
Science,  and  come  here  hoping  only  in  the  interces¬ 
sion  of  our  blessed  Lady.  Practically  the  whole  of 
their  time  is  consecrated  to  acts  of  faith,  piety,  and 
prayer :  the  sick  remain  only  for  the  hours  of  meals 
and  during  the  night  in  the  halls  of  the  hospital, 
establishments  which  have  only  the  name  of  hospitals. 


THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU 


95 


Early  each  morning  they  are  conducted  or  escorted 
to  the  Grotto,  where  they  assist  at  Mass.  After  this 
the  ladies  attached  to  the  service  of  the  sick  serve 
them  a  meal  under  the  shade  of  the  trees,  which  are 
close  to  the  Sanctuary.  Then  comes  the  waiting  at 
the  piscine,  the  bath,  and  more  prayers  at  the  Grotto. 
In  the  afternoon  there  are  numerous  other  exercises 
before  the  Grotto,  at  the  piscines,  and  finally  the  big 
Procession  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  How  could 
one  possibly  insist  on  the  pilgrims  depriving  them¬ 
selves  of  some  of  these  religious  exercises  to  devote 
the  time  to  being  examined  by  some  medical  com¬ 
mission,  to  give  themselves  up  to  laboratory  experi¬ 
ments  or  some  special  examination,  which  would 
appear  of  little  utility  to  them  ? 

Here  is  a  poor  patient  with  advanced  cancer;  the 
trouble  is  generalised.  As  soon  as  he  descends  from 
the  train,  would  you  break  into  the  enthusiasm  which 
has  brought  him  to  the  feet  of  our  Lady,  and  stay 
him  at  the  door  of  the  Bureau  ?  Can  you  imagine 
imposing  upon  him  the  obligation  of  letting  you  have 
a  specimen  of  his  tumour  for  your  microscope  ?  The 
name  you  give  to  his  disease  matters  little  to  him. 

By  what  right  can  you  impose  upon  patients  that 
they  shall  come  before  a  tribunal  of  unknown  doctors 
and  exhibit  their  diseases  ? 

During  the  great  pilgrimages  at  Lourdes,  it  is  not 
rare  to  have  as  many  as  a  thousand  or  twelve  hun¬ 
dred  sick.  Where  will  you  find  sufficient  doctors  to 
examine  singly  these  large,  numbers  ? 

The  doctors  themselves,  as  a  rule,  only  make  a 
short  sojourn  in  the  Pyrenees.  It  would  be  materially 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


96 

impossible  for  them  to  find  the  time  to  examine  more 
than  a  very  small  proportion  of  these  subjects.  “  One 
could  make  a  choice/’  objects  someone — “the  most 
interesting  cases  could  be  studied.”  Yes,  perhaps, 
if  one  knew  in  advance  those  cases  which  would  be 
privileged.  For  most  certainly  those  to  whom  a 
cure  was  promised  would  willingly  submit  themselves 
to  an  examination. 

When  a  cure  is  produced,  there  is  no  longer  any 
delay  or  hesitation.  The  happy  privileged  person 
is  only  too  glad  to  come  and  receive  at  the  Bureau 
the  official  confirmation  of  the  favour  which  has  been 
accorded  to  him,  and  to  contribute  his  part  to  the 
glory  of  our  Lady.  But  as  God  gives  us  no  indica¬ 
tions  of  those  whom  he  will  choose,  and  necessity 
obliges  us  to  limit  the  number  of  our  observations,  it 
happens  that  the  needed  examination  is  often  want¬ 
ing  in  the  case  of  those  who  are  cured. 

Again  I  repeat  that  it  is  comparatively  seldom  that 
the  patients  come  voluntarily  to  the  Bureau  before 
being  cured.  “7  have  not  the  time.  ...  If  I  am 
cured  you  will  certainly  see  me.”  That  is  the  response 
that  is  frequently  made  me,  when  I  ask  some  inter¬ 
esting  case  to  come  to  the  Bureau  before  going  to  the 
piscine. 

A  large  number  of  the  pilgrims,  too,  are  absolutely 
convinced  that  it  is  useless  and  superfluous  to  present 
themselves  at  the  Bureau.  The  crowd,  which  can 
little  understand  our  difficulties  and  delays,  is  only 
too  disposed  to  approve  and  applaud  such  a  declara¬ 
tion  as,  “  This  poor  patient  came  to  Lourdes  to 
demand  a  cure  of  the  holy  Virgin.  What  business  is 


THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU 


9  7 

it  of  the  doctors?”  Others  advise  their  friends  not 
to  go  near  the  Bureau.  “  The  Medical  Bureau  is  a 
cold  douche  establishment ,  so  hostile  to  the  declara¬ 
tion  of  a  miracle,  that  one  may  demand  whether  the 
doctors  at  the  Bureau  believe  at  all  in  the  super¬ 
natural.” 

I  must  admit  that  I  feel  somewhat  satisfied  when 
remarks  like  this  are  reported  to  me;  they  are  at  any 
rate  witness  to  the  reserve  we  use,  and  are  definite 
evidence  of  the  caution  manifested  before  admitting 
the  extraordinary  nature  of  some  cure.  They 
demonstrate,  at  the  same  time,  however,  that  it  is  far 
from  easy  for  us  to  get  the  cases  we  desire  for 
examination. 

Let  us  grant  for  a  moment  that  it  is  possible  dur¬ 
ing  five  months  of  the  year  to  have  a  photographic 
operator  at  work :  do  people  really  imagine  that  all 
the  cases  we  wish  to  be  photographed  will  submit  to 
that  ordeal  ?  Will  some  hunchback,  some  patient 
disfigured  by  lupus,  allow  this  when  there  is  no  cer¬ 
titude  of  cure  ? 

Again,  Lourdes  is  not  a  hospital.  The  only 
patients  we  can  interrogate  are  those  who  have  no 
objection  to  our  doing  so. 

Continuing  in  the  same  order  of  ideas,  it  is  abso¬ 
lutely  impossible  to  think  of  some  doctor  assisting 
at  the  piscine,  at  an  immersion  where  the  greater 
number  wish  to  be  incognito.  There  is  not  a  woman 
who  would  undress  in  front  of  a  doctor  of  whom  she 
has  not  the  slightest  knowledge,  and  for  whose  advice 
she  has  not  asked.  When  I  sign  the  permission 
for  some  colleague  who  asks  to  see  how  things  are 

7 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


98 

conducted  at  the  piscines,  the  idea  never  entered  my 
head  that  the  card  I  sign  shall  give  him  the  right  of 
entry  to  the  piscines  reserved  for  the  women. 

What  a  terrible  task  it  would  be  for  the  doctors 
who  undertook  this  duty  when  on  some  days  in  each 
bath  some  hundreds  are  immersed  ! 

But  let  us  be  serious.  How  is  the  bathing  under¬ 
taken  at  Lourdes  ?  The  patient  when  undressed  is 
wrapped  by  the  member  of  the  hospitality  who  is  on 
duty  at  the  piscine  in  a  bath-gown.  If  the  patient 
can  walk  she  descends  the  cement  steps  of  the  bath, 
assisted  on  each  side  by  one  of  the  ladies  working 
there,  otherwise  she  is  lowered  by  means  of  straps. 
She  advances  to  the  end  of  the  bath,  where  she  kisses 
the  statue  of  the  blessed  Virgin.  Then  she  plunges, 
or  is  plunged,  in  the  icy  water.  After  this  she  comes 
out,  immediately  giving  place  to  someone  else.  Dur¬ 
ing  these  different  and  rapid  actions  the  prayers  are 
uninterrupted.  The  patient  during  the  whole  time 
of  the  bath  recites  the  act  of  contrition,  whilst  the 
lady  infirmarians  say  the  invocations. 

Well,  can  you  imagine  the  doctor  on  duty  sud¬ 
denly  stopping  these  acts  of  piety  and  saying  to  the 
patient :  “  Please  wait  a  moment.  The  prayers  and 
invocations  must  cease.  The  moment  has  come  for 
me  to  note  the  temperature.  I  must  take  the  pulse 
and  respiration  rate,  and  also  a  record  of  the  blood- 
pressure  .  .  ? 

Consequently,  what  we  have  to  do  is  to  utilise  as 
far  as  possible  the  means  placed  at  our  disposal.  Let 
us  not  step  outside  the  position  assigned  us.  The 
role  of  the  Medical  Bureau  is  to  control  and  put  in 


THE  MEDICAL  BUREAU 


99 


evidence,  as  far  as  it  possibly  can  under  the  circum- 
stanceSy  the  extra-natural  processes  of  many  of  the 
cures. 

The  Bureau  is  not  meant  to  diagnose  disease,  to 
teach,  and  to  treat  as  is  done  at  an  ordinary 
hospital. 


CHAPTER  IV 


THE  DOCTORS 


The  role  of  the  doctors  since  the  apparitions — A  medical  move¬ 
ment  in  favour  of  Lourdes — Those  who  keep  away — 
Human  respect—  Madame  Rouchel — The  doctors  of  Metz 
—  The  Academicians  —  The  Faculties  —  Sectarianism  — 
Medical  certificates — The  doctors  who  believe — Those 
who  do  not — The  incredulous — The  irreconcilables — The 
sceptics — Those  who  will  not  investigate — Good  faith — 
Mademoiselle  Claire  Paquignon — The  victory  of  evidence 
— The  medical  pilgrims. 


I 


HE  medical  profession  has  been  called  to  pro- 


X  nounce  on  the  marvellous  facts  of  Lourdes,  which 
occur  so  publicly,  from  the  time  of  the  appearance 
of  the  miraculous  spring  in  the  corner  of  the  Grotto, 
indicated  by  our  Lady  to  Bernadette,  up  to  and 
including  our  own  time. 

At  the  commencement  there  was  the  question  of 
Bernadette’s  mental  state,  of  investigating  and 
understanding  her  statements,  of  explaining  the  first 
cures  that  took  place  at  the  spring.  Now  at  the 
present  time  there  is  still  necessity  to  observe  the  ways 
by  which  the  supernatural  manifests  itself,  and  here 
the  medical  profession  has  an  important  task. 

Now,  as  in  former  days,  the  doctors  are  asked  to 
give  their  opinion  about  facts  which  contradict  all 
known  laws,  all  the  notions  and  deductions  acquired 
as  the  result  of  rigorous  observation. 


ioo 


THE  DOCTORS 


IOI 


Before  Lourdes,  before  1858,  the  doctors  had  to  lay 
down  their  arms  when  all  the  resources  of  medical 
skill  had  been  exhausted,  and  declare  themselves 
powerless  in  the  face  of  approaching  death. 

Since  the  apparitions  on  the  banks  of  the  Gave, 
people  have  come  from  all  parts  of  the  world  suffering 
from  maladies  which  human  Science  had  pronounced 
incurable,  and  after  prayer  at  the  Grotto,  or  at  the 
passage  of  our  Lord  in  the  blessed  Sacrament,  have 
suddenly  recovered  their  health  despite  the  adverse 
opinions  of  Science. 

It  is  easy  to  understand  that  the  first  movement 
of  the  medical  world,  in  view  of  these  prodigies,  was 
one  of  surprise,  even  of  revolt  against  facts  which 
so  unexpectedly  reversed  notions  acquired  during 
their  professional  education. 

It  is  not  altogether  easy  for  a  man  of  science  to 
recognise  that  a  power  exists  capable  of  doing  that 
which  medicine  and  surgery  cannot  do.  Conse¬ 
quently,  it  is  easy  to  understand  how  Lourdes  had 
declared  and  irreconcilable  enemies  amongst  the 
medical  profession.  It  is  natural  for  men  exclusively 
habituated  to  the  observation  of  facts  not  to  accept 
without  careful  control  other  facts  which  totally 
reverse  scientific  opinion,  and  to  be  at  first  dumb¬ 
founded  before  such  a  problem. 

To  all  we  use  the  same  language :  “We  publish 
observations  of  extraordinary  cures.  If  you  believe 
that  our  interpretation  of  these  cures  is  an  erroneous 
one,  then  respond  to  our  demand :  Come  to  the 
Medical  Bureau  at  Lourdes.  If  there  we  can  show 
you  some  blind  person  who  has  suddenly  recovered 


102 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


sight,  some  ulcer  which  has  cicatrised  suddenly,  or 
some  other  well-known  organic  malady  which  has 
disappeared  in  a  few  instants,  and  you  can  state  your¬ 
self  the  reality  of  the  fact,  in  conformity  with  the  most 
rigorous  laws  of  evidence  and  by  careful  clinical 
examination,  then  we  ask  you  simply  to  acknowledge 
the  reality  of  the  facts ;  after  that  you  can  search  for 
some  explanation  which  shall  satisfy  you.” 

The  only  true  means  to  solve  this  problem  is  to 
study  the  facts.  The  question  cannot  be  solved  by  a 
sarcastic  smile,  a  shrug  of  the  shoulders,  or  some 
frivolous  witticism.  At  one  time  it  was  the  fashion 
with  Diday,  Charcot,  and  a  number  of  others  to  mock 
and  laugh  as  often  as  Lourdes  was  mentioned.  It 
was  sought  to  escape  an  embarrassing  question  by 
silence  or  contempt;  or  if  this  was  not  the  case,  the 
difficulty  was  solved  at  a  distance  without  examina¬ 
tion,  by  means  of  some  hypothesis  which  had  no  basis 
in  fact.  Another  method  was  to  try  and  swamp  the 
evidence,  as  it  were,  by  a  flood  of  abuse.  It  is  im¬ 
possible  to  forget  the  terrible  blasphemies  uttered 
against  our  Lady  of  Lourdes  by  the  German  scientific 
world  at  the  beginning  of  the  war. 

However,  the  cures  at  Lourdes  are  so  striking,  so 
contrary  to  the  laws  of  Nature,  that  for  some  years 
now  it  has  been  impossible  to  treat  them  as  purely 
negligible.  The  moment  has  arrived  when  doctors 
will  not  content  themselves  with  prejudiced  discus¬ 
sions  and  insufficient  arguments.  They  have  under¬ 
stood,  in  the  first  place,  that  definitely  to  refute  the 
facts  much  study  is  needed,  that  these  phenomena 
necessitate  being  observed  on  the  spot,  and  as  far  as 


THE  DOCTORS  103 

possible  at  the  time  of  their  production,  before  they 
can  state  that  they  are  truths  or  errors. 

This  is  why  the  number  of  medical  men  who  refuse 
to  follow  blindly  ready-made  opinions,  who  wish  to 
see  and  examine  for  themselves,  increases  year  by 
year,  and  explains  the  considerable  and  incontestable 
movement  of  the  medical  world  in  favour  of  Lourdes. 

Since  1892 — that  is,  during  the  last  thirty  years — 
seven  thousand  eight  hundred  and  twenty-eight 
doctors  have  passed  through  the  Medical  Bureau.  I 
subjoin  the  number  of  colleagues  who  have  been  in¬ 
scribed  in  the  register  of  the  Bureau  for  each  year. 


Doctors. 

1892 

.  120 

1893 

.  ^9 

1894 

.  160 

189s 

.  177 

1896 

.  203 

1897 

.  112 

1898 

.  200 

1899 

.  240 

1900 

.  216 

1901 

.  328 

1902 

.  268 

1903 

.  228 

1904 

.  245 

1905 

.  274 

1906 

.  280 

Carried  forward  3,170 


Doctors. 


Brough  t  forward 

3>I7° 

1907 

•  •  • 

•  •  * 

332 

1908 

•  •  • 

•  •  • 

624 

1909 

M  • 

«  •  • 

446 

1910 

478 

1911 

536 

1912 

•  •  • 

568 

1913 

•  •  • 

•  •  • 

670 

I9I4 

•  •  ft 

227 

1915 

6 

1916 

•  •  • 

10 

1917 

5 

1918 

ft  ft  ft 

•  •  • 

18 

1919 

ft  ft  ft 

•  •  • 

99 

1920 

•  •  • 

239 

1921 

•  •  • 

Total 

•  •  • 

•  •  • 

400 

7,828 

As  can  be  seen,  the  numbers  reached  their  highest 
total  in  1913,  when  they  amounted  to  six  hundred  and 
seventy.  This  movement  was  arrested  during  the 
World  War,  as  the  majority  of  the  doctors  were 
mobilised. 


io4 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


However,  since  that  time  both  doctors  and  pilgrims, 
despite  the  difficulties  of  the  journey,  have  recom¬ 
menced  the  visits  to  our  sanctuaries.  Although  a 
large  number  were  retained  by  the  necessity  of  build¬ 
ing  up  their  practices  again,  yet  in  1921  we  received 
as  many  as  four  hundred.  Of  this  number  foreigners 
constituted  about  one- third,  and  we  can  count  pro¬ 
fessors,  surgeons,  doctors  of  hospital  staffs,  etc., 
coming  from  all  nationalities. 

All  without  exception  have  expressed  themselves  as 
extremely  pleased  with  the  fraternal  courtesy  which 
exists  at  our  meetings.  All  have  felicitated  us  on  the 
careful  and  scrupulous  manner  in  which  our  enquiries 
are  conducted.  All  have  declared  themselves  so  inter¬ 
ested,  that  they  have  promised  to  return  during  the 
following  years. 

II 

Though  the  number  of  our  collaborators  increases, 
recruited  as  it  is  from  the  regular  visitors  to  the 
Bureau,  from  those  passing  through  Lourdes,  and 
those  drawn  by  the  attraction  of  the  unknown,  yet 
still  unfortunately  too  many  keep  away.  The  latter, 
afraid  of  being  enlightened,  or  perhaps  dazzled  by 
too  bright  a  light,  still  prefer  to  keep  company  with 
unbelief  and  free  thought.  4 ‘What  need  is  there  to 
go  and  see  ?  In  the  centuries  of  ignorance  and  super¬ 
stition  one  might  indulge  in  such  pleasantries.  But 
to-day  such  things  do  not  merit  attention.  Is  not 
Science  capable  of  unmasking  these  impostures  ? 
What  occurs  at  Lourdes,  does  it  not  also  occur  at  the 
Salpetriere?  Only  there  the  same  facts  take  place 
without  noise  and  advertisement !  And  then,  we 


THE  DOCTORS 


105 


cannot  be  certain  of  the  miraculous,  since  it  is  a  dero¬ 
gation  of  the  laws  of  Nature,  and  we  cannot  know  all 
her  laws.” 

One  would  never  believe  the  specious  arguments 
that  preconceived  ideas  and  prejudice  can  furnish  to 
men  of  science  to  support  their  incredulity,  and  pre¬ 
vent  them  from  occupying  themselves  with  the  ques¬ 
tion  of  Lourdes. 

For  these  savants,  since  the  supernatural  obtains 
results  contrary  to  admitted  laws,  and  a  'priori  one 
cannot  admit  any  such  derogation  of  law,  every  super¬ 
natural  fact  which  is  opposed  to  pathological  and 
physiological  laws  is  impossible. 

In  their  studies  doctors  for  the  most  part  pursue  a 
rigorous  method  of  observation :  they  remain  within 
the  limits  indicated  by  the  analysis  of  facts,  scrutinise 
these  facts,  register  most  carefully  and  patiently  the 
results  of  these  observations,  and  from  these  draw 
definite  conclusions  and  derive  accurate  teaching. 

But  as  soon  as  it  is  a  question  of  Lourdes,  for  the 
doctors  I  am  now  considering,  there  is  no  study  of 
the  facts,  no  experimental  observation.  Silence  and 
abstention  seem  to  them  sufficient.  When  some 
miraculous  account  comes  from  the  banks  of  the  Gave, 
they  obstinately  shut  their  eyes  and  turn  their  heads 
away.  They  will  not  even  consent  to  take  notice  of 
the  accounts  presented  to  them.  Again  they  repeat, 
the  supposed  facts  about  which  there  is  discussion  are 
absurd,  therefore  they  are  impossible. 

The  mere  mention  of  Lourdes  obscures  the  eyes  and 
intellects  of  some  doctors,  so  that  they  appear  to  be 
attacked  with  a  species  of  phobia.  Human  respect  is 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


106 

really  the  main  reason  which  prevents  them  studying 
the  question ;  this  hypnotises  them  and  makes  them 
keep  silence,  for  they  consider  the  miraculous  as  an 
unwarranted  intrusion  of  the  Primal  Cause  into  the 
domain  of  Science,  of  which  they  believe  themselves 
to  be  the  infallible  interpreters.  When  it  is  not  from 
fear  of  having  to  change  their  mode  of  life,  it  is 
usually  human  respect  which  causes  doctors  to  elimin¬ 
ate  a  priori  divine  intervention  in  such  matters  :  they 
purposely  avoid  study  and  research  in  a  territory 
which  they  consider  somewhat  dangerous.  With  an 
eixaggerated  deference  for  the  opinions  of  others,  they 
remain  in  the  shade  and  keep  silence.  If  they  were 
led  by  chance  where  they  would  discover  the  truth, 
they  would  be  afraid  of  being  laughed  at;  conse¬ 
quently  they  prefer  to  say  nothing  one  way  or  another. 

On  September  4,  1903,  Madame  Rouchel,  a  resident 
of  Metz,  arrived  at  Lourdes  on  pilgrimage.  This  un¬ 
fortunate  woman  had  suffered  for  the  previous  nine 
years  from  a  terrible  lupus  of  the  face.  The  nose, 
the  upper  lip,  the  right  cheek  were  attacked,  and  the 
discharge  was  abundant  and  foetid.  In  addition 
there  were  two  perforations  which  permitted  the  pas¬ 
sage  of  the  tip  of  the  little  finger — one  in  the  right 
cheek,  the  other  in  the  palate ;  these  allowed  food  both 
to  escape  externally  and  into  the  nose.  All  these 
chronic  and  well-authenticated  lesions  were  instan¬ 
taneously  cured  one  afternoon  in  the  Church  of  the 
Rosary;  the  loss  of  substance  which  I  have  just 
described  was  suddenly  made  good. 

This  important  case  naturally  attracted  the  atten¬ 
tion  of  the  doctors  of  Metz,  who  held  several  meetings 


THE  DOCTORS 


107 


to  discuss  the  matter  without  taking  account  of 
the  opinion  of  Dr.  Ernst,  who  had  attended  and 
treated  the  case,  nor  of  other  certain  evidence,  they 
maintained  that  because  a  very  small  amount  of  ulcera¬ 
tion  still  remained  on  the  internal  aspect  of  the  upper 
lip  the  cure  did  not  exist,  and  that  the  simple 
amelioration  observed  could  be  perfectly  explained  by 
a  natural  process.  These  doctors  of  Metz  did  not 
say  a  word  about  the  instantaneous  cicatrisation  of 
the  perforations  in  the  cheek  and  palate,  and  they 
attributed  the  cause  of  the  skin  lesion  to  syphilis. 
The  cure,  they  said,  was  obtained  by  an  active  anti¬ 
syphilitic  treatment. 

A  very  lively  discussion  followed  this  curious 
judgement,  and  Dr.  Boissarie  discussed  the  affair 
with  his  Lorraine  colleagues.  It  was  then  agreed  to 
refer  the  matter  to  experts.  The  President  of  the 
Bureau  wished  to  submit  the  question  to  Dr.  Besnier, 
former  President  of  the  Academy  of  Medicine,  and  to 
Professor  Fournier,  who  was  on  the  staff  of  the  Hos¬ 
pital  of  St  Louis. 

Well,  the  result  was  that  both  these  two  experts 
refused  to  have  anything  to  do  with  the  question. 

On  June  9,  1905,  Dr.  Besnier  replied  in  the  follow¬ 
ing  terms  to  Dr.  Boissarie’s  report:  “My  dear  col¬ 
league — I  have  decided  to  decline  the  position  of 
expert,  and  to  let  it  rest  at  that.  I  do  not  find  in  an 
extemporised  and  purely  clinical  examination  suffi¬ 
cient  ground  on  which  to  base  a  definite  judgement.” 

Dr.  Boissarie,  in  a  letter  to  a  medical  friend,  gave 
the  following  account  of  his  visit  to  Professor 
Fournier:  “  I  remained  an  hour  with  the  Professor. 


io8 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


I  definitely  explained  to  him  the  reasons  why  I 
demanded  his  opinion,  but  I  was  unable  to  persuade 
him  to  either  give  a  definite  decision  or  to  take  notice 
of  the  evidence.  The  Professor  was  inclined  to  the 
diagnosis  of  syphilis,  but  he  made  restrictions  as  to 
the  perforation  of  the  cheek,  a  rare  occurrence  with 
specific  trouble.  As  to  the  mode  of  the  cure  and  its 
rapidity,  he  declined  any  pronouncement.  *  For 
you,’  he  said,  *  that  would  be  a  miracle.  But  that  is 
not  a  question  for  me ;  I  do  not  wish  to  enter  into  that 
domain.’  He  remained  mute  as  the  Sphinx,  fearing 
above  all  to  commit  himself  in  any  way.  At  the  end 
of  the  interview  he  said  to  me :  ‘  I  do  not  wish  to 
pronounce  either  for  the  doctors  of  Metz,  or  for  you.’  ” 

I  may  say  that  very  fortunately  Drs.  Tennesson  and 
du  Castel,  members  of  the  Academy  of  Medicine,  had 
no  such  fears,  and  did  not  refuse  an  opinion  asked  of 
them  in  the  interests  of  truth.  Both  these  distin¬ 
guished  men  declared  that  the  affection  was  certainly 
not  syphilitic. 

During  the  summer  of  19 —  an  exceedingly  well- 
known  scientific  man  was  at  Lourdes.  The  wife  of 
this  savant,  in  gratitude  to  the  Immaculate  Virgin  for 
the  protection  of  her  son  during  the  war,  had  obtained 
from  her  husband  the  promise  to  stay  for  a  couple  of 
days  at  Lourdes  on  their  return  from  an  excursion  in 
the  Pyrenees.  He  was  present  at  the  moving  spec¬ 
tacle  of  the  crowds  in  prayer,  of  the  ardent  supplica¬ 
tions  of  the  sick  and  infirm,  but  simply  as  an 
indifferent  spectator.  At  the  end  of  the  first  day  he 
said  he  had  had  enough  of  these  manifestations,  and 
that  it  was  time  to  go.  However,  at  the  urgent 


THE  DOCTORS 


109 


request  of  his  wife,  who  reminded  him  of  his  promise, 
he  replied  :  “  Ah,  well,  I  will  wait  the  other  day  that 
I  promised.  During  this  last  day  I  will  go  to  the 
Medical  Bureau ;  I  shall  not  be  sorry  to  see  a  little  of 
what  passes  there/ * 

This  proposal  of  his  was  brought  to  me  by  a  friend 
who  knew  the  incredulous  scientist,  and  I  prepared  to 
receive  him  cordially. 

I  saw  him  on  the  afternoon  of  that  day  striding 
several  times  up  and  down  the  avenue  of  chestnuts 
which  shade  the  front  of  the  Bureau,  but  he  did  not 
cross  the  threshold. 

May  we  not  suppose  that  human  respect  and  fear 
of  the  truth  annihilated  the  will  and  reasoning  powers 
of  the  men  of  whom  I  have  spoken  ?  This  fear  of 
compromising  themselves  by  merely  pronouncing  the 
name  of  Lourdes  is  only  too  real. 

Some  few  years  ago,  in  a  provincial  Faculty,  a  can¬ 
didate  for  the  doctorate  presented  as  his  thesis  a  work 
entitled  The  Cures  of  Lourdes.  The  four  members 
of  the  jury  congratulated  him  on  the  importance  of 
the  work,  which  in  their  eyes  was  considerably  above 
the  level  of  the  ordinary  theses,  but  in  the  course  of 
the  discussion  they  objected  that  the  work  had  “  an 
emotional  and  supernatural  side,  with  which  the 
Faculty  had  nothing  to  do/’  Despite  the  brilliant 
refutation  by  the  candidate  of  all  the  objections 
brought  forward,  the  jury  declared  that  the  thesis  did 
not  show  sufficient  scientific  characters,  and  it  was 
unanimously  refused  by  all  the  members,  including 
the  President ,  who  three  weeks  before  had  signed 
permission  for  the  thesis  to  be  printed  ! 


I  10 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


This  surprising  decision  caused,  a  short  time  after, 
an  official  protest  before  the  Dean  of  the  Faculty  on 
the  part  of  the  Students’  Association. 

Our  Universities  consider  the  facts  of  Lourdes  un¬ 
worthy  of  all  discussion  and  examination.  They 
much  prefer  to  shut  themselves  up  in  silence  and 
supreme  indifference,  rather  than  run  the  risk  of  hav¬ 
ing  to  acknowledge  that  there  are  facts  which  the 
laws  of  pathology  and  physiology  are  quite  unable  to 
explain. 

In  this  connection  I  may  cite  another  example  of 
official  ostracism,  shown  with  regard  to  the  facts  of 
Lourdes  by  some  of  our  University  authorities.  In 
this  case,  however,  the  event  was  followed  by  quite 
unforeseen  consequences. 

About  the  end  of  1900  the  young  Dr.  Alexis  Carel, 
who  was  a  prosector  in  the  Faculty  of  Medicine  at 
Lyons,  became  very  interested  in  Dr.  Boissarie’s  book 
The  Cures  of  Lourdes.  He  acknowledged  his  sur¬ 
prise  on  reading  of  the  instantaneous  union  of  an 
ununited  fracture,  of  the  sudden  disappearance  of  a 
cancer  of  the  tongue,  of  the  immediate  cicatrisation  of 
an  ulcer  30  centimetres  in  length.  These  facts  were 
the  more  interesting  because  they  permitted  those  who 
were  searching  for  the  truth  to  make  a  series  of  im¬ 
portant  deductions  and  conclusions. 

He  resolved  then  to  study  on  the  spot  analogous 
phenomena  which  experience  and  known  laws  con¬ 
sider  as  impossible. 

To  do  this  he  accompanied  as  doctor  the  pilgrimage 
of  1902  from  Lyons.  Very  interested  in  the  case  of  a 
young  girl  from  Lyons  who  for  three  years  had  been 


THE  DOCTORS 


in 


under  treatment  in  the  hospitals,  he  kept  her  carefully 
in  view  during  the  journey.  At  Lourdes,  at  the  Hos¬ 
pital,  Grotto,  and  Bureau,  he  was  a  witness  of  the 
cure  of  this  patient,  and  he  noted  hour  by  hour, 
minute  by  minute,  the  changes  that  occurred  under  his 
eyes.  It  is,  as  it  were,  a  resurrection  he  describes 
scientifically,  ‘  ‘  eliminating  all  explanation  from  his 
thought  and  pen.” 

The  case  is  that  of  the  instantaneous  cure  of  Marie 
Bailly  reported  by  Dr.  Boissarie.1  She  suffered  from 
tuberculosis  of  the  lungs  and  peritoneum. 

Our  archives  preserve  the  most  detailed  and  pre¬ 
cise  notes  made  by  the  young  Lyons  doctor  from  day 
to  day  between  May  26  and  June  4,  1902.  There 
are  also  notes  inscribed  after  the  cure,  at  the  return 
to  Lyons,  from  June  7  to  August  8.  At  the  latter 
date  the  “  miraculee  ”  quitted  the  Hospital,  and  was 
accepted  as  a  novice  by  the  Sisters  of  St.  Vincent  de 
Paul.  “  In  view  of  the  symptoms  observed,  the  per¬ 
sonal  and  family  history,  the  diagnosis  of  such  a 
well-known  surgeon  as  Dr.  Gouilloud,  I  also  made 
the  diagnosis  of  tuberculous  peritonitis.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  no  other  hypothesis  was  possible.” 

“  At  the  end  of  July  the  patient  was  entirely  cured. 
Her  weight  increases  a  kilogramme  a  week.  General 
health  perfect.” 

Such  are  the  notes  beginning  and  closing  this 
report,  in  which  Dr.  Carel  noted  all  the  symptoms 
and  phenomena  as  a  witness. 

His  observations  are  made  in  the  most  scrupulously 
scientific  fashion ;  he  makes  no  remarks,  deduces  no 
1  Les  Gutrisons  de  Lourdes ,  2  partie,  p.  58. 


1 12 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


conclusion,  but  it  is  easy  to  see  by  the  report  that  the 
event  which  he  witnessed  made  a  most  deep  impression. 

This  case  was  certainly  the  beginning  of  the  change 
in  his  life  which  led  to  his  becoming  the  future 
Director  of  the  Rockefeller  Medical  Institute.  Had 
it  not  been  for  Lourdes,  Dr.  Carel  would  not  in  all 
probability  have  undertaken  the  remarkable  work 
which  has  made  him  known  all  over  the  world,  and 
of  which  Dr.  Philippon  gives  an  account  in  No.  36  of 
the  review  Science  and  Life,  January,  1918. 

Here  is  the  account  which  Dr.  Philippon  puts  into 
the  mouth  of  the  celebrated  surgeon  P - ,  of  Cler¬ 

mont-Ferrand  : 

Some  twenty  years  ago,  a  young  girl  of  twelve  or 
thirteen  years  of  age  was  brought  to  Dr.  Carel,  suffer¬ 
ing  from  a  chronic  abscess  in  the  right  iliac  fossa,  and 
up  to  this  time  no  treatment  had  been  of  any  avail. 
Carel  in  his  turn  essayed  all  the  resources  of  medicine 
and  surgery,  but  without  any  satisfactory  result.  In 
despair  he  advised  taking  the  child  to  Lourdes,  and 
this  advice  was  immediately  followed. 

A  little  time  after,  during  a  dinner  at  which  were 
present  the  principal  members  of  the  Medical 
Faculty,  one  of  the  guests  sitting  near  Carel  asked 
him  what  had  become  of  his  little  patient.  “  I  have 
sent  her  to  Lourdes,”  replied  Carel,  smiling.  His 
reply  was  greeted  with  a  general  laugh.  “You 
believe  in  that  sort  of  treatment?”  someone  asked. 
“  Really,”  replied  Carel,  “  it  was  necessary  to  do 
something  !  But  what  is  curious  is  that  no  later  than 
this  morning  I  have  seen  this  child  returned  from 
Lourdes,  and  what  will  seem  to  you  most  extra- 


THE  DOCTORS 


”3 

ordinary  is  that  she  is  cured.”  “  What  is  that  you 
are  saying?”  “  Yes,  she  is  cured,  definitely  and 
completely  cured  !  Lourdes  has  succeeded  in  three 
or  four  days  where  we  all  failed;  there  is  something 
which  approaches  the  category  of  the  miraculous.” 
This  last  word  caused  a  chilling  silence,  and  Carel 
replied  :  “  Please  note  carefully  that  I  neither  explain 
nor  discuss.  I  content  myself  with  stating  the  facts.” 

Professor  C -  then  said :  “It  is  useless  to  insist, 

sir,  that  with  views  such  as  those  you  can  never  be 
received  as  a  member  of  our  Faculty.”  “In  that 
case,”  replied  Carel,  “  I  must  go  elsewhere.  I 
believe  that  there  are  places  where  I  shall  be  more 
cordially  received.” 

He  did  as  he  had  said,  left  Lyons  and  went  to 
America,  where  it  was  not  long  before  he  became 
famous. 

Such  was  the  chance  incident  which  put  Carel  on 
the  road  to  success  and  celebrity. 

To  keep  Lourdes  as  much  in  the  shade  as  possible, 
blind  sectarianism  and  irreconcilable  hatred  do  the 
most  strange  and  unjust  acts. 

About  the  end  of  August,  1921,  Le  Petit  Mar¬ 
seillais,  although  it  is  not  in  the  habit  of  so  doing, 
published  the  following  lines  taken  from  its  con¬ 
temporary,  Le  Soleil  du  Midi: 

“  A  Marseilles  Doctor  Testifies  to  a  Cure 

at  Lourdes 

“  Our  contemporary,  Le  Soleil  du  Midi,  published 
the  following,  which  we  reproduce : 

“‘One  of  our  most  popular  Marseilles  medical 

8 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


1 14 

men,  Dr.  Gabriel  Coulange,  has  written  to  us  that 
he  was  called  to  examine  a  miraculous  cure  at 
Lourdes. 

“  ‘  The  case  concerned  was  one  well  known  to  our 
readers,  that  of  Mademoiselle  Emilie  Cailleux,  who, 
we  are  glad  to  say,  is  now  in  the  most  satisfactory 
condition.’  The  journal  continued: 

“‘This  person,  said  the  doctor,  was  suddenly 
cured  of  Pott’s  disease  on  August  19th  last,  about 
three  o’clock  in  the  afternoon,  whilst  praying  before 
the  Grotto.  At  the  Medical  Bureau  she  was  examined 
for  three-quarters  of  an  hour  by  Drs.  Pineau,  Goret, 
Gony,  and  Coulange,  was  found  to  have  no  trace  of 
disease,  and  was  declared  instantaneously  and  com¬ 
pletely  cured.’ 

“  This  publication  of  Le  Petit  Marseillais  did  not 
please  Dr.  Monteux,  the  President  of  the  Associa¬ 
tion  of  Marseilles  Doctors,  and  at  a  meeting  of  their 
Council  which  took  place  on  September  15,  1921,  he 
brought  the  article  in  question  to  the  notice  of  the 
members.  This  is  how  the  official  organ  of  the  Mar¬ 
seilles  Doctors’  Association  referred  to  the  matter : 

“  *  Dr.  Monteux  spoke  of  the  article  in  Le  Petit 
Marseillais  referring  to  Dr.  Coulange,  and  after  some 
discussion  said  that  he  noticed  with  regret  that  a 
doctor  had  allowed  an  anti-scientific  article  to  be 
inserted  in  the  daily  Press.  Certain  members  of  the 
Association  supported  the  President.’ 

“  This  act  caused  a  disagreeable  surprise  to  the 
majority  of  the  Marseilles  medical  men.  The  action 
of  Dr.  Monteux  was  certainly  an  abuse  of  his  posi¬ 
tion,  for  a  professional  association  does  not  concern 


THE  DOCTORS 


H5 

itself  with  the  politics,  philosophy,  or  religious  beliefs 
of  its  members.  But,  above  all,  it  was  unjust  and 
absurd.  An  anti-scientific  article !  Truly  anti¬ 
clerical  hatred  is  both  blind  and  despotic.  Is  it  not 
precisely  in  the  name  of  Science  that  so  many  un¬ 
believing  doctors  have  tried  to  explain  the  Lourdes 
cures  ?  Then  why  refuse  the  same  right  to  Catholics 
in  the  name  of  Science  ?  In  any  case,  to  grant  it  to 
one  and  refuse  it  to  another  is  pure  sectarianism. 

“  What  increases  the  unfairness  of  Dr.  Monteux’s 
attack,  is  that  Dr.  Coulange  had  not  attempted  to 
give  an  explanation  of  the  instantaneous  cure  of 
Mademoiselle  Cailleux ;  he  had  contented  himself 
with  a  record  of  what  he  had  seen  and  examined.  It 
is  a  fact  that  he  recounts,  an  event  that  took  place  on 
such  a  day,  at  such  an  hour,  at  a  definite  spot,  a  fact 
which  he  himself  had  witnessed. 

“  Is  it  anti-scientific  to  witness  to  a  definite  fact  ? 

“  The  evidence  of  Dr.  Coulange  has  the  more  force 
in  that  it  was  corroborated  by  three  other  doctors, 
who  examined  the  patient  for  three-quarters  of  an 
hour,  and  could  find  no  trace  of  the  malady.  Is  this 
minute  and  prolonged  examination  by  four  scientific 
men  anti-scientific? 

“  Undoubtedly  the  action  of  the  President  of  the 
Marseilles  doctors  was  unjust  and  an  abuse  of  his 
position. 

“  See  what  sectarianism  leads  to.  But  sometimes 
it  receives  the  reward  that  it  merits,  and  this  is  what 
happened  at  Marseilles.  It  would  seem  that  the 
intolerance  of  Dr.  Monteux  was  not  altogether  to  the 
taste  of  the  Marseilles  medical  profession,  for  their 


ii6  THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 

Association  had  recently  to  re-elect  its  officers,  and 
Dr.  Monteux,  the  outgoing  President,  received  only 
45  votes  out  280,  the  remaining  votes  going  to  his 
successor.  It  was  an  act  of  justice;  perhaps  the  irre- 
concilables  will  learn  that  enmity  to  the  supernatural 
and  to  Lourdes  does  not  always  bring  good 
fortune.,,1 

The  cure  of  Mademoiselle  Emilie  Cailleux  was  one 
of  special  importance  in  that  the  diagnosis  in  her 
case  had  been  made  by  Professor  Lecene,  of  Paris, 
under  whose  treatment  the  young  girl  had  rested  for 
two  years,  and  it  was  the  same  professor  who  had 
signed  her  certificate  when  she  set  out  for  Lourdes. 

The  doctors  of  Marseilles,  in  giving  such  a  strong 
majority  against  the  re-election  of  Dr.  Monteux, 
implicitly  testified  that  the  events  of  Lourdes  are 
not  so  devoid  of  a  scientific  character  as  the  adver¬ 
saries  of  the  supernatural  would  fain  believe,  but  are 
indeed  worthy  of  the  attention  of  the  world  of  science. 

Ill 

Having  discussed  the  question  of  the  systematic 
abstention  of  certain  doctors  from  taking  any  notice 
of  the  cures  at  Lourdes,  it  will  now  be  appropriate  to 
consider  the  question  of  the  medical  certificates. 

This  question  of  the  certificates  is  one  of  the  most 
difficult  that  we  have  to  deal  with  at  the  Bureau. 
When  a  cure  occurs,  and  the  “  miracule  ”  is  brought 
to  the  Bureau,  immediately  there  is  anxiety  to  see 
the  patient’s  report,  with  the  desire  naturally  of  find¬ 
ing  there  all  the  necessary  indications  as  to  the  malady 

1  La  Croix  de  Paris. 

\ 


THE  DOCTORS 


ii  7 

and  the  patient’s  state  before  the  cure.  The  hope  is 
that  by  means  of  good  certificates  and  reports  it  will 
be  easy  to  pronounce  as  to  the  certitude  of  the  cure. 
Alas  !  how  many  times  we  are  disappointed,  finding 
the  certificates  of  practically  no  value  at  all. 

I  do  not,  of  course,  mean  to  say  that  the  majority 
of  medical  men  are  afraid  to  put  their  signature  to 
anything  which  can  serve  as  the  basis  for  establishing 
a  supernatural  fact;  fortunately,  there  are  a  large 
number,  a  very  large  number ,  of  colleagues  who  are 
convinced  of  the  importance  of  their  role,  who  think 
of  the  possible  use  that  may  be  made  of  their  signa¬ 
ture,  have  no  hesitation  in  stating  the  full  technical 
details,  and  relate  the  whole  pathological  history  of 
the  patient  they  have  attended  and  studied.  These 
give  a  definite  and  precise  diagnosis;  in  a  word,  they 
recognise  their  responsibility,  and  do  not  recoil  from 
it.  But  it  is  difficult  to  form  an  idea  of  the  number 
of  doctors  who,  as  a  colleague  said  to  me  the  other 
day,  are  seized  with  “  agraphia,”  loss  of  ability  to 
write,  when  it  is  a  question  of  Lourdes.  This 
incapacity  is  a  well-known  malady,  which  consists 
in  lack  of  power  to  express  thought  in  writing. 
There  are  a  number  of  men  who  are  unable  to  use 
pencil,  pen,  or  stylograph  when  they  are  asked  for  a 
certificate  in  view  of  a  pilgrimage.  “  What  an  idea 
that  doctors  should  be  mixed  up  in  such  affairs  ! 
What  would  my  colleagues  say  if  they  saw  that  Dr. 
So-and-so  had  put  his  name  to  a  certificate  of  that 
sort?  To  pass  for  a  clerical  or  an  idiot — never!” 
These  are  some  of  the  fears  that  obsess  doctors  when 
they  refuse  to  make  any  declaration,  to  give  any 


1 18 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


details  about  their  patients.  Sometimes  to  obtain 
from  the  doctor  the  necessary  certificate,  without 
which  admission  to  a  pilgrimage  is  refused,  all  sorts 
of  ruses  have  to  be  employed  and  the  strangest 
motives  alleged. 

Here  is  a  letter  which  I  possess,  addressed  to  his 
parents  by  a  young  man  who  sought  to  obtain  a  cer¬ 
tificate  for  his  sister  from  a  Parisian  doctor :  “  I  went 
to  Dr.  Z - ;  I  told  a  deliberate  lie  to  get  the  certifi¬ 

cate,  but  he  absolutely  refused  to  say  what  was  my 
sister’s  illness.  He  pretended  that  it  would  be  a 
breach  of  professional  confidence  to  write  the  name  of 
the  disease.  Not  being  able  to  obtain  it,  I  told  him 
the  motive  for  the  certificate,  but  without  any  better 
success.” 

This  refusal  on  the  part  of  prejudiced  or  sceptical 
doctors,  according  to  my  way  of  thinking,  shows  the 
fear  they  have  of  contributing  their  quota  to  the  docu¬ 
ments  of  the  Medical  Bureau,  which  they  know,  in 
spite  of  everything,  have  definite  scientific  value. 
They  dread  bringing  the  supernatural  to  the  light  of 
day,  thinking  uneasily  of  the  opinions  of  their  patients 
and  colleagues.  For  their  signature  placed  on  such  a 
document  might  perhaps  be  fraught  with  serious  con¬ 
sequences  with  regard  to  their  colleagues  and  their 
practice. 

When  the  circumstances  are  such  that  a  certificate 
cannot  be  refused,  and  they  are,  as  it  were,  constrained 
by  force  to  give  evidence,  then  they  essay  to  be  very 
diplomatic;  their  aim  then  is  to  say  as  little  as  pos¬ 
sible  in  order  not  to  compromise  themselves.  How 
hard  it  is  for  some  people  to  be  frank  and  open  ! 


THE  DOCTORS 


119 

They  purposely  choose  vague,  inaccurate,  confused 
terms,  which  are  no  assistance  to  those  who  examine 
the  case,  but  leave  a  way  of  escape  for  themselves. 

Instead  of  giving  even  laconically  the  details, 
diagnosis,  description  of  symptoms,  main  morbid 
changes,  treatment  followed,  and  the  prognosis,  too 
many  hide  themselves  behind  a  complicated  phrase- 
ology,  and  voluntarily  give  incomplete  certificates 
Our  archives  contain  many  examples  where  the  cer¬ 
tificates  seem  to  have  been  given  by  men  absolutely 
terrified  of  entering  upon  this  compromising  and  dan 
gerous  territory. 

A  doctor  of  the  Midi  definitely  said  to  me  that  he 
had  given  a  certificate  for  Lourdes  which  he  had  pur¬ 
posely  made  short  and  vague,  for,  he  said,  “  it  is 
exceedingly  annoying,  if  there  is  a  miracle,  to  see 
your  colleagues  pulling  your  diagnosis  to  pieces.’ * 

By  the  side  of  these  timorous  people  we  find  the 
cynics.  Some  years  ago  at  the  annual  seance  held 
at  the  Bon  Theatre  on  the  Quai  de  Passy,  the  example 
was  given  of  a  doctor  who  was  the  mayor  of  his  com¬ 
mune,  and  a  Freemason  of  high  rank.  Being  asked 
to  give  a  certificate  for  one  of  his  patients  going  to 
Lourdes,  he  wrote  as  follows:  “I,  the  undersigned, 

X - ,  Doctor  in  Medicine,  certify  that  Madame 

Z -  is  suffering  from  a  malady,  the  nature  and 

gravity  of  which  my  political  and  philosophical 
opinions  hinder  me  from  determining.” 

Another  example :  I  received  last  summer  (1922)  a 
visit  from  a  patient  who  brought  the  following  cer¬ 
tificate  from  his  doctor:  “I,  the  undersigned,  .  .  . 
certify  that  Monsieur  Y - is  ill.” 


120 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


It  is  easy  to  understand  that  it  is  impossible  to  do 
anything  with  a  cure  which  brings  statements  of  this 
kind ;  but  there  are  others  which,  while  not  being  so 
absurdly  negative,  whether  voluntarily  or  not,  abso¬ 
lutely  lack  all  accuracy  and  precision. 

I  have  under  my  eyes  a  certain  number  of  these 
certificates,  of  which  I  give  some  specimens : 

“  I  have  had  under  my  care  Madame  X - ,  who 

for  two  years  has  been  suffering  from  an  obstinate 
cough.” 

”  Mademoiselle  Z -  presents  on  examination  a 

deformity  of  the  left  foot.” 

”  The  young  A -  is  constantly  ill,  and  two 

operations  have  not;  cured  him.” 

*  ‘  I  certify  that  I  have  had  under  my  care  for  several 

years  Madame  B -  for  a  chronic  affection,  which 

I  think  might  be  spontaneously  cured.” 

In  this  fashion  one  does  not  say  too  much,  and  in 
case  of  a  cure  at  Lourdes  there  is  ample  room  to 
escape.  One  does  not  incur  the  danger  of  being 
forced  on  the  return  of  the  patient  to  recognise  the 
disappearance  of  a  malady  when  no  information  had 
been  given  about  it.  By  this  method  one  does  not 
run  the  risk  of  such  a  misadventure  as  happened  to  a 
doctor  of  whom  Dr.  Boissarie  speaks.  He  had 
declared  his  patient  to  be  consumptive.  Moreover, 
he  had  confirmed  this  diagnosis  by  telegram.  She 
was  completely  cured  at  Lourdes.  On  her  return  she 
obtained  a  certificate  from  this  doctor  attesting  that 
she  had  been  cured,  but  of  a  simple  cold. 

It  is  very  embarrassing  to  have  to  go  back  on  one’s 
statement.  But  this  does  not  trouble  some  practi- 


THE  DOCTORS 


12 1 


tioners,  who,  rather  than  acknowledge  the  truth,  make 
a  cowardly  retreat,  and  sign  statements  which  they 
know  are  erroneous. 

If  we  encounter  these  difficulties  from  some  doctors 
when  the  patient  sets  out  for  Lourdes,  the  difficulty  is 
even  greater  when  they  have  returned  cured,  and 
desire  a  certificate  to  that  effect.  Some  few  years  ago 
a  Doctor  in  Medicine,  by  a  certificate  dated  in  the 
month  of  July,  19 — ,  declared  that  a  child  who  was  a 
patient  of  his,  and  whom  he  had  treated  for  a  long 
time,  had  Pott’s  disease  of  the  dorso-lumbar  spine, 
and  also  an  abscess  which  discharged  in  the  groin. 
He  described  all  the  classical  symptoms  of  the 
disease,  and  left  no  doubt  as  to  its  nature  and  gravity. 

The  child  was  taken  to  Lourdes,  where  he  was  sud¬ 
denly  cured  of  the  spinal  disease,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  abscess  ceased  to  discharge.  On  his  return 
the  doctor  examined  his  little  patient,  and  in  the 
August  following,  being  asked  to  give  a  certificate, 
wrote  as  follows  :  ‘  ‘  The  orifice  of  the  abscess  is  com¬ 
pletely  cicatrised,  all  the  movements  of  the  spine  are 
re-established,  and  can  be  performed  without  diffi¬ 
culty  or  pain,  and  the  child  is  actually  now  in  a  very 
satisfactory  condition.”  But  he  then  went  on  to 
add  :  “  This  favourable  result  may  occur  normally  in 
a  case  of  Pott’s  disease.  Moreover,  I  wish  to  state 
that  I  gave  the  previous  certificate  on  the  demand  of 
"the  family,  who  stated  that  it  was  a  necessity.  I  con¬ 
sider  it  of  only  slight  importance,  for  I  wrote  it  in 
haste,  and  in  terms  which  might  be  wrongly  inter¬ 
preted.” 

Doctor  P - ,  one  of  our  most  skilled  and  devoted 


122 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


collaborators,  arrived  at  Lourdes  with  a  recent  French 
National  Pilgrimage,  and  was  present  at  the  cure  of  a 

young  girl  from  the  Diocese  of  M - .  On  his  return 

to  the  chief  town  of  the  diocese,  he  visited  the  doctor 
who  had  attended  the  young  “  miraculee  ”  and  had 
given  her  the  certificate.  “  You  remember  the  patient 

you  saw  last  month,  Mary  T - ?  Isn’t  it  correct 

that  she  certainly  had  hip  disease?”  “  Typical  hip 
disease .”  “Well,  she  is  cured!”  “What  do  you 
say — cured?”  “Yes,  she  was  cured  in  the  piscine 
at  Lourdes.  I  examined  her  on  tl\£  morning  of  her 
arrival  there,  and  the  following  day  I  happened  to  be 
in  the  Medical  Bureau  when  the  cure  was  certified.” 
“Oh,  that  does  not  astonish  me.  I  always  con¬ 
sidered  her  as  a  case  that  might  very  well  be  cured  at 
Lourdes  !” 

When  it  was  announced  to.  another  doctor  that  one 
of  his  patients  who  suffered  from  tuberculous  joint 
disease  had  been  cured,  and  his  opinion  was  asked 
about  the  case,  he  wrote  the  following  lines : 

“  Madame  X - was  placed  in  a  plaster  splint,  and 

continuous  extension  applied,  but  with  a  view  of  sug¬ 
gestion,  for  I  had  always  regarded  her  as  an  hysterical 
subject.”  To  immobilise  a  woman  in  plaster,  and 
apply  extension  during  some  months,  to  “  sug- 
gestionise  ’  ’  her,  is  not  this  something  of  a  discovery  ? 

A  doctor  was  charged  to  make  a  report  as  to  the 
state  of  health  of  the  unfortunate  victim  of  an  acci¬ 
dent;  after  having  minutely  described  the  various 
lesions  produced,  he  concluded  that  the  diagnosis 
was  certain,  the  prognosis  very  grave.  On  a  second 
examination  he  stated  that  the  patient  would  be  an 


THE  DOCTORS 


123 


invalid  for  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Finally  he 
stated  that  although  it  was  impossible  to  assign  a 
definite  time  for  the  survival  of  the  injured  person, 
yet  he  did  not  consider  that  this  could  be  of  long 
duration. 

However,  the  invalid,  taken  to  Lourdes  in  extremis , 
instantaneously  recovered  his  health.  On  this  occa¬ 
sion  the  doctor  was  much  put  about.  Called  to  give 
evidence  in  the  case  of  his  patient,  who<  had  changed 
so  suddenly  and  radically  in  spite  of  the  gloomy 
prognosis,  he  was  unable  to  deny  the  cure.  But  he 
declared  that  he  had  made  an  error ;  there  were,  how¬ 
ever,  extenuating  circumstances:  “  I  was,  it  is  true, 
deceived.  But  I  was  not  alone.  All  the  doctors  who 
saw  the  case  were,  like  me,  deceived.  Everybody 
was  deceived.’ * 

How  was  he  deceived  ?  He  does  not  say,  but  he 
tries  to  explain.  What  happened?  “  This  is  what 
must  have  happened.  Some  of  the  symptoms  can  be 
considered  as  .  .  .  doctors  can  be  led  into  error.” 
To  sum  up,  all  these  restatements  and  hesitations 
have  but  one  end  in  view,  to  lead  to  the  following 

conclusion:  “The  cure  of  Mr.  X -  has  nothing 

supernatural  about  it.  Some  of  the  symptoms  can  be 
considered  as  hysterical  manifestations.  On  the 
other  hand,  some  symptoms  might  have  been  caused 
by  classical  lesions,  but  here  other  doctors  as  well  as 
myself  may  have  been  mistaken.  The  patient  was 
certainly  a  nervous  subject,  and  his  return  to  health 
was  the  result  of  a  shock,  the  considerable  effect  pro¬ 
duced  upon  him  by  the  crowds  and  the  general  effect 
of  Lourdes.” 


124 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


You  must,  however,  be  just.  One  day  you  state 
that  the  patient’s  condition  is  hopeless,  that  both 
Nature  and  science  can  do  nothing  for  the  grave 
lesions  that  are  present,  whose  nature  you  describe. 
You  let  it  be  known  that  the  fatal  termination  is  not 
far  off :  then  suddenly  the  following  day,  by  a  con¬ 
tradiction  passing  strange,  because  the  cure  goes  con¬ 
trary  to  your  theories  and  preconceived  views,  you 
affirm  without  hesitation  that  this  cure  has  nothing 
extraordinary  about  it. 

Another  type  of  doctor  is  he  who,  not  wishing  to 
admit  the  miraculous,  is  yet  unwilling  to  go  back  on 
his  word,  to  contradict  to-day  what  he  said  yesterday. 
Many  of  these,  however,  for  fear  of  being  obliged  to 
give  a  definite  opinion,  steal  out  of  the  way  when 
occasion  is  presented  to  them  for  judging. 

The  subject  of  a  cure,  which  had  made  considerable 
sensation,  wrote  to  one  of  the  doctors  who  had 
treated  her,  appointing  a  definite  place  and  time  for 
him  to  judge  the  change  in  her  state  of  health.  He 
kept  her  waiting  some  days  for  the  reply,  which 
stated :  “I  have  learnt  with  real  satisfaction  the 
change  for  the  better  that  has  occurred  in  your  con¬ 
dition.  I  shall  be  happy  to  think  of  you  in  a  good 
state  of  health,  instead  of  picturing  the  unfortunate 
individual  who  was  under  my  care.  .  .  .  Very  many 
thanks  for  your  kind  invitation.  It  would  have  given 
me  great  pleasure  to  congratulate  you  personally,  but 
my  work  gives  me  no  time  for  a  break,  consequently 
I  shall  be  unable  to  see  you.  Believe  me,”  etc. 

I  could  multiply  the  examples  I  have  given  to  a 
very  considerable  extent.  Those  who  have  read  them 


THE  DOCTORS 


125 


will  see  the  difficulties  we  have  to  encounter  at  the 
Medical  Bureau  in  order  to  obtain  the  necessary 
technical  evidence.  At  the  same  time,  however, 
besides  these  documents  which  leave  very  much  to  be 
desired,  there  are  hundreds  of  complete  and  conscien¬ 
tious  reports  in  our  archives,  which  contain  all  the 
details  necessary.  Many  of  these  are  supplemented 
by  analyses,  radiographs,  accounts  of  laboratory 
research,  etc.  They  constitute  models  of  case-taking, 
and  some  in  our  archives  may  be  said  to  be  as  near 
perfection  as  is  possible. 


IV 

The  doctors  who  visit  our  Bureau  each  year,  to 
examine  and  enquire  into  the  subject  of  the  cures 
there,  may  be  divided  into  several  categories. 

There  are,  in  the  first  place,  the  doctors  who  are 
believers ;  these  are  not  ashamed  to  declare  that  their 
science  cannot  explain  the  cures  of  Lourdes,  and  do 
not  hesitate  to  say  that  the  cause  must  be  sought 
higher.  They  are  in  complete  accord  with,  and  join 
in  the  thanksgiving  of,  the  pilgrims  to  the  Queen  of 
Heaven  for  the  cures  granted  there. 

But  it  must  not  be  supposed  for  one  instant  that 
these  doctors  have  the  faith  of  a  charcoal-burner,  and 
are  disposed  to  admit  supernatural  facts  without  con¬ 
trol  or  examination,  that  they  are  inclined  to  see  the 
supernatural  in  all  the  cases  submitted  to  them. 

For  the  most  part  this  class  of  doctors  who  visit  the 
Bureau  are  exacting  and  severe,  more  so  even  than 
the  indifferent  and  incredulous,  when  it  is  a  question 
of  affirming  “  a  miracle.’ * 


126 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


Very  often  it  is  from  the  side  of  the  believers  that 
the  most  objections  arise;  they  are  usually  inclined  to 
see  insufficient  guarantees  in  the  cases  put  before 
them. 

Boissarie  cites  the  case  of  a  young  doctor,  who  was 
witness  of  a  cure,  or  rather  of  a  resurrection,  which 
had  been  under  his  care  for  several  months.1  It  con¬ 
cerned  a  young  girl  whose  case  was  deemed  abso¬ 
lutely  hopeless,  but  who  was  cured  :  the  young  doctor 
had  all  the  notes  of  the  case,  and  he  set  about  writing 
the  report  of  the  cure.  He  had  followed  the  malady 
from  its  commencement,  and  consequently  could  have 
no  doubt.  Suddenly,  however,  he  was  attacked  by 
scruples;  the  memory  of  classical  cases  of  the  same 
disease  returned  to  him,  and  he  thought  of  the 
common  belief  that  only  nervous  diseases  can  be  the 
object  of  supernatural  cures.  These  thoughts  over¬ 
came  his  first  impressions.  He  demanded  more  time 
before  pronouncing  on  the  matter.  But  more  time 
meant  more  worry,  and  he  became  obsessed  with  the 
idea  that  he  had  not  the  capacity  of  making  an  im¬ 
partial  judgement.  At  the  end  he  entrusted  all  the 
notes  of  the  case  to  a  friend,  asking  him  to  draw  up 
the  report  according  to  his  conscience,  and  not  to  be 
influenced  by  his  first  opinion. 

This  case  reported  by  the  two  doctors  is  one  of  the 
fullest  and  most  accurate  that  we  have  in  our  archives. 

I  ask  again,  what  statistics  are  there  based  on  more 
accurate  and  scrupulous  reports  ? 

1  Boissarie,  Renaissance  religieuse  dans  le  corps  medical, 
Annales  de  N.  D.  de  Lourdes,  tome  36,  p.  113. 


THE  DOCTORS 


127 


V 

Another  category  we  welcome  at  the  Bureau  are 
those  who  do  not  know.  Among  these  we  sometimes 
meet  ignorance  that  is  truly  amazing.  During  the 
month  of  September  a  few  years  ago  a  Parisian  col¬ 
league  presented  himself.  After  the  usual  greetings 
he  said  to  me :  “  Ever  since  my  arrival  here,  the  con¬ 
versation  seems  to  turn  about  one  subject.  Everybody 
here  speaks  of  *  our  Lady  of  Lourdes.’  .  .  .  This 
Lady  of  Lourdes,  this  Virgin  they  invoke,  is  Berna¬ 
dette  Soubirous,  isn’t  it?” 

But  though  not  ignorant  to  this  extent,  a  large 
number  of  doctors  arrive  in  the  little  Pyrenean  town 
without  knowing  exactly  what  passes  there,  and  with¬ 
out  having  the  least  idea  that  close  to  the  miraculous 
Grotto  there  is  a  clinic  which  is  in  some  measure 
without  parallel,  and  that  there  they  can  observe  the 
most  interesting  and  rare  cases. 

My  own  example  is  a  proof  of  this  statement :  until 
I  accompanied  the  National  Pilgrimage  for  the  first 
time,  I  was  in  a  state  of  tranquil  indifference,  and 
ignorance  which  bordered  almost  on  scepticism.  It 
was  without  the  slightest  enthusiasm,  and  only  after 
some  hesitation,  that  I  decided  to  go.  It  was  not 
that  I  was  incredulous,  but  I  did  not  like  crowds  of 
people,  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  the  agitation  and 
noisy  manifestations  of  crowds  were  little  in  harmony 
with  the  recollection  that  should  accompany  acts  of 
piety. 

From  the  start,  however,  as  a  convinced  Catholic, 
I  was  moved,  more  than  I  can  say,  at  the  splendid 


128 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


manifestations  of  faith,  the  wonderful  examples  of 
charity,  and  the  true  fraternity  that  existed  there. 
As  doctor,  my  professional  interest  was  soon  aroused 
by  the  presence  of  interesting  and  rare  cases ;  by  these 
masses  of  sick  people,  in  some  of  whom  the  agony 
seemed  almost  to  have  commenced — the  whole  form¬ 
ing  a  spectacle  it  was  impossible  to  forget,  and  diffi¬ 
cult  to  contemplate  without  emotion. 

From  the  moment  that  I  was  introduced  to  Dr. 
Boissarie,  whose  friendly  and  cordial  greeting  I  shall 
never  forget,  I,  so  to  speak,  scarcely  left  the  Bureau, 
the  existence  of  which  up  to  that  time  I  had  totally 
ignored.  There  I  found  myself  immediately  in  direct 
contact  with  the  supernatural.  My  medical  know¬ 
ledge  was  completely  upset  by  coming  in  contact  with 
cases  who  had  been  previously  cured,  whose  reports 
I  was  enabled  to  study  at  leisure,  and  which  my  good 
faith  obliged  me  to  conclude  had  been  cured  in  a 
manner  which  passed  the  comprehension  of  human 
intelligence. 

Since  that  time  I  have  encountered  many  medical 
men  who  had  not  even  heard  of  the  Bureau,  or  if  they 
had  it  was  only  vaguely,  or  to  get  false  notions  about 
it.  That  is  why  I  am  so  keenly  desirous  to  see  the 
Bureau  more  frequented  by  our  colleagues,  so  that 
they  may  make  known  the  facts  of  Lourdes  to  the 
medical  profession  at  large. 

VI 

Amongst  our  visitors  there  are  also  many  who  do 
not  believe .  Of  this  number  there  are  some  who 
arrive  with  their  minds  made  up.  They  are  abso- 


THE  DOCTORS 


129 


lutely  determined  to  rest  where  they  are.  They  will 
not  see  or  look  at  anything.  They  neither  interrogate 
the  patients  nor  the  other  doctors.  It  was  of  this 
variety  that  Dr.  Lapponi  said  that  they  would  not 
believe,  even  if  with  their  own  eyes  they  saw  a  man 
rise  from  the  dead. 

To  explain  the  phenomena  whose  reality  they  refuse 
to  admit,  they  invoke  various  theories — “the  faith 
which  cures,”  religious  suggestion,  etc. 

The  irreconcilables  deny;  their  mind  is  made  up, 
but  sometimes  there  is  evident  bad  faith.  In  their 
animosity  the  most  inadequate  explanations  are  put 
forward  to  escape  the  supernatural.  They  go  so  far 
as  to  have  recourse  to  insinuations  and  absurd  accusa¬ 
tions,  not  hesitating  to  say  that  Lourdes  absolutely 
rests  on  error,  for  Bernadette  was  hallucinated;  it  is 
simply  a  challenge  made  by  error  and  commercialism 
to  reason.  “  Lourdes  will  pass,  and  we  shall  see  its 
ephemeral  glory  fade  this  century.  This  would 
already  have  happened,  if  the  interests  of  the  hotels 
had  not  been  at  stake.”1 

These  obstinate  adversaries  of  the  supernatural  are, 
however,  sometimes  very  embarrassed  when  they  are 
put  in  presence  of  facts  which  are  impossible  to  deny. 
In  this  case,  they  commence  by  refusing  all  discus¬ 
sion,  and  if  pushed  into  their  last  trenches,  they 
employ  arguments  which  are  devoid  of  any  scientific 
worth. 

At  one  of  the  examinations  in  the  Bureau,  I  had 
asked  two  colleagues  to  examine  a  patient  suddenly 

1  Dr.  Bon  jour,  cite  par  le  Docteur  J.  Cement,  A  propos  de 
Lourdes.  Imprimerie  St  Paul,  Fribourg. 


9 


130 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


cured  of  Pott’s  disease.  Their  conclusion  was  that  it 
was  absolutely  impossible  to  explain  naturally  the 
complete  disappearance  of  the  objective  and  subjec¬ 
tive  symptoms  detailed  in  the  recent  certificate  of  the 
doctor  who  had  charge  of  the  case.  This  certificate 
was  most  precise :  it  affirmed  the  existence  of  cervico- 
dorsal  disease,  described  the  symptoms,  and  cited  in 
support  the  name  and  opinion  of  a  well-known 
specialist.  This  very  detailed  certificate  also  ex¬ 
pressly  noted  that  there  were  no  signs  of  hysteria 
about  the  patient,  so  a  nervous  origin  of  the  malady 
could  not  be  believed. 

Following  the  usual  course  of  procedure,  I  asked 
the  assembled  doctors  if  they  had  any  observations 
or  objections  to  make.  One  of  them  replied  :  he  laid 
stress  on  the  sudden  disappearance  of  the  pain,  the 
normal  muscular  movement,  the  absence  of  atrophy 
of  the  muscles  after  such  a  prolonged  immobilisation 
in  plaster ;  keeping  silence,  however,  about  the  abscess 
which  had  formed  anteriorly,  he  maintained  that  the 
phenomena  were  now  absolutely  contrary  to  what  one 
would  expect.  Consequently  one  had  a  right  to  call 
in  question  both  the  diagnosis  made  by  the  doctor 
treating  the  case,  and  also  the  specialist  who  had 
advised  the  immobilising  apparatus.  These  doctors 
must  have  been  in  error.  One  of  them  must  have  made 
an  imperfect  examination ;  the  other,  the  specialist  on 
account  of  his  speciality,  saw  reason  everywhere  for 
immobilisation  ! 

I  remarked  that  there  was  nothing,  absolutely 
nothing,  to  make  us  doubt  the  good  faith  and  com¬ 
petence  of  our  colleagues,  adding  that  a  suspicion  of 


THE  DOCTORS 


131 

this  sort  was  in  complete  contradiction  with  the  rules 
of  scientific  discussion,  and  I  suggested  that  it  would 
be  at  least  just  to  present  these  objections  to  the 
doctors  who  had  charge  of  the  case.  All  was  to  no 
purpose;  the  only  reply  was:  “It  is  impossible. 
True  Pott’s  disease  can  never  be  cured  like  that'' 

In  some  cases,  not  content  with  denying  the  cure, 
they  deny  the  illness.  The  disease  had  been  cured 
for  a  long  time,  was  cured  when  the  patient  came  to 
Lourdes.  The  fact  is  that  the  whole  affair  is  a 
comedy,  in  which  the  various  scenes  have  been 
arranged  in  advance !  The  person  supposed  to  be 
cured  has  been  paid  to  play  a  part !  We  are,  then, 
asked  to  believe  that  in  spite  of  the  most  definite  cer¬ 
tificates,  in  spite  of  numerous  witnesses  absolutely 
worthy  of  credence,  there  is  nothing  after  all  but  fraud 
and  trumpery  ! 

Personally,  I  did  not  know  that  one  might  simulate 
optic  atrophy ;  vertebral  caries,  with  an  abscess  dis¬ 
charging  sequestra;  a  congenital  dislocation  of  the 
hip ;  or  a  carcinoma.  Our  archives  contain  definite 
examples  of  cure  of  all  of  these. 

Even  if  some  are  not  so  outspoken,  yet  they  put 
forward  an  astonishing  collection  of  insinuations. 
The  patient  in  question  was  perhaps  not  really  ill. 
Without  doubt  the  malady  was  not  correctly 
described.  The  cure  could  not  really  have  taken 
place.  Again  :  those  examining  cannot  have  pushed 
their  investigations  far  enough.  They  might  have 
been  deceived.  Their  religious  belief  made  them  bad 
judges.  The  doctors  of  Lourdes  should  be  held  sus¬ 
pect,  their  statements  cannot  be  impartial.  Their 


132 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


professional  conscience  is  too  readily  inclined  to  see 
and  admit  the  supernatural. 

What  is  to  be  said  for  such  methods  of  discussion  ? 
How  can  we  qualify  such  arguments,  when  for  the 
most  part  they  are  brought  forward  by  those  who 
refuse  to  study  the  question  ? 

In  every  discussion  on  some  theoretical  question  the 
sincerity  of  one’s  opponent  ought  to  be  admitted, 
even  when  the  theory  he  advances  is  considered  to  be 
erroneous.  We  recognise  the  good  faith  of  those  who 
seek  to  find  a  natural  explanation  for  what  we  con¬ 
sider  supernatural.  But  we  cannot  allow  them  to 
support  their  theories  in  the  manner  of  Zola,  making 
a  person  die  who  is  in  good  health,  or  declaring  that 
someone  is  mad  when  he  is  quite  sane.  Neither 
can  we  allow  the  accusation  of  ignorance,  which  is  so 
constantly  made  by  unbelievers  against  us,  to  pass 
without  protest,  although  we  are  thankful  that  they 
do  not  tax  us  with  weakness  of  intellect !  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  it  is  always  in  the  name  of  Science  or  Reason 
that  religious  manifestations  and  sincere  faith  are 
classed  as  hysterical  symptoms.  Such  people  pre¬ 
tend  with  Littre  “that  Religion  has  its  roots  in 
pathology,  and  that  Sanctity  is  disease.” 

But,  God  be  praised,  the  number  of  conscientious 
doctors  who  study  and  analyse  the  facts,  and  who  do 
not  believe  they  have  the  right  to  consider  those  who 
do  not  agree  with  them  as  hallucinated,  increases 
daily. 

It  is  often  the  most  cultivated  intellects  which  seem 
to  be  struck  with  a  species  of  blindness  when  it  is  a 
question  of  religious  faith. 


THE  DOCTORS 


133 


When  the  enemies  of  the  supernatural  are  put  in  the 
presence  of  obvious  and  extraordinary  facts,  as  they 
will  not  acknowledge  them,  and  remain  inflexible, 
they  have  to  distort  these  facts  in  some  way.  Con¬ 
stantly  they  will  not  be  satisfied  with  the  proofs 
offered  them,  but  always  demand  some  more 
stringent.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  they  deny  a  -priori  all 
evidence,  however  valid  it  may  be,  and  will  yield 
only  to  themselves. 

Human  evidence  has  always  constituted  the  base 
on  which  history  is  built  up.  If  the  certitude  based 
on  historians  worthy  of  credit  is  denied,  there  can  be 
no  more  teaching.  Now,  the  history  of  Lourdes  is 
based  upon  the  assertions  of  hundreds  of  authorised 
witnesses;  the  facts  have  occurred  before  their  eyes, 
and  a  great  number  of  these  witnesses  are  still  avail¬ 
able  to  reaffirm  their  assertions.  Our  cures  are  facts 
to  be  seen,  touched,  facts  patent  to  the  senses.  Con¬ 
sequently,  they  are  as  easy  to  observe  as  other  veri¬ 
fiable  incidents  that  can  be  verified,  using  the  pro¬ 
cedure  and  methods  ordinarily  made  use  of.  The 
basis  of  all  enquiry  rests  on  faith  in  human  testimony. 

It  is  possible  to  believe  without  having  seen  per¬ 
sonally,  and  one  has  a  duty  to  accept  witness  which 
offers  sufficient  guarantees  for  credibility.  If  that  is 
not  done,  one  may  doubt  all  truth,  and  all  but  per¬ 
sonal  experience.  How  is  it,  then,  that  the  mass  of 
evidence  that  we  can  put  at  the  disposal  of  our  scep¬ 
tical  colleagues  does  not  excite  their  interest  ?  The 
reason  really  is  because  there  are  many  doctors  who 
do  not  wish  to  open  their  eyes  to  the  light.  They 
prefer  not  to  see  themselves,  for  it  is  possible  to  doubt 


134 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


the  assertions  of  others,  but  much  more  difficult  to 
deny  the  testimony  of  one’s  own  sight  and  hearing. 

These  doctors  who  deny  everything  will  have  none 
but  professional  evidence.  But,  surely,  “it  is  not 
necessary  to  be  a  tailor  to  see  a  hole  in  a  garment,” 
nor  to  be  a  watchmaker  to  know  when  a  clock  has 
stopped  ?  There  are  numbers  of  cases  in  which  non¬ 
professional  evidence  is  beyond  all  cavil.  The 
stating  of  a  fact  is  within  the  capacity  of  everybody, 
and  evidence  can  be  given  by  any  eyewitness.  In 
every  medical  report  great  importance  is  attached  to 
the  history.  This  is  furnished  by  the  patient  him¬ 
self,  by  neighbours,  by  friends,  by  those  who  have 
had  charge  of  him.  All  doctors  who  have  to  form  an 
opinion  on  some  case,  have  largely  to  use  non-medical 
evidence  when  it  is  a  case  of  enquiring  into  facts 
which  they  have  not  seen  for  themselves. 

As  to  medical  testimony,  which  the  incredulous  also 
deny,  it  is  not  loyal  to  put  in  doubt  the  diagnosis  and 
observation  of  some  colleague,  nor  to  despise  his 
opinion,  before  definite  study  of  the  case  has  been 
made.  Admitting  that  at  the  Medical  Bureau  we 
should  not  be  content  with  evidence  brought  forward 
solely  by  those  interested  in  the  case,  and  by  vague 
and  imperfect  certificates,  yet  we  have  not  the  right 
to  dismiss  the  evidence  made  by  the  doctor  treating 
the  case,  who  has  had  charge  of  the  invalid  for  months 
or  years,  and  observed  attentively  all  the  phases  of 
the  illness. 

We  see  at  Lourdes  many  unbelieving  doctors. 
Usually  they  deny  in  a  tone  which  admits  of  no 
reply :  “I  deny  .  .  .  consequently  the  fact  does  not 


MLLE.  CLAIRE  PAQUIGNON  OF  PARIS  AT  THE  BUREAU  DES  CONSTATATIONS,  AUGUST  22,  1913. 


THE  DOCTORS 


135 


exist,  since  it  is  I  who  deny.”  What  right  have  they 
for  this  rash  confidence  in  their  own  knowledge  ? 
There  is  no  necessity  to  have  been  practising  medi¬ 
cine  for  a  considerable  time  to  know  that  a  wound 
does  not  cicatrise  instantly;  that  a  dead  or  dying 
person  does  not  return  immediately  to  life;  that 
Science  has  never  yet  suddenly  restored  sight  to  the 
blind.  But,  as  I  have  said,  many  incredulous  doctors 
come  to  Lourdes  with  the  firm  belief  that  “  a  miracle 
is  impossible,”  and  nothing  can  make  them  forsake 
this  belief. 

VII 

Another  category  of  doctors  visiting  the  Bureau 
arrive  not  only  with  the  determination  not  to  be  con¬ 
vinced,  but  they  flee  from  the  light.  They  are  dazzled 
by  the  evidence,  but  they  kick  against  expressing  the 
truth.  They  pretend  to  seek  for  light,  whilst  all  the 
time  they  are  voluntarily  keeping  in  the  shade.  They 
tremble  at  being  forced  to  accept  a  miracle,  which 
after  all  may  be  possible.  They  do  not  wish  to 
examine  thoroughly;  they  stop  in  the  middle  of  the 
road,  pretend  to  search,  but  after  having  said,  ”  Who 
knows?”  they  add,  “I  do  not  see.”  They  have 
neither  the  strength  of  character  nor  the  courage  to 
concentrate  their  mind  on  what  is  put  before  them. 
Then  they  wish  to  appear  indifferent,  disinterested, 
although  in  reality  they  are  deeply  impressed.  They 
prefer  to  talk  of  something  else,  hoping  in  this  manner 
to  rid  themselves  of  hesitation  and  doubt  by  forget¬ 
fulness  and  indifference.  “After  all,  this  question 
is  not  worth  so  much  trouble,”  they  declare  as  they 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


136 

quit  the  Bureau,  confused  at  not  knowing  and  not 
being  able  to  come  to  a  decision. 

Human  nature  is,  however,  definitely  drawn  to 
make  a  choice  between  yes  and  no,  truth  and  error. 
It  is  a  real  need  for  our  reasoning  faculties.  Why  is 
it,  then,  that  these  doctors  go  away  uncertain  and 
undecided  between  belief  and  doubt  ?  The  reason  is 
that  a  conscientious  choice  means  the  acceptance  of 
definite  consequences,  it  implies  taking  a  definite 
side  in  the  battle;  neutrality  is  very  much  easier. 

Truth  is  at  times  very  embarrassing  when  it  com¬ 
pels  us  to  change  our  habits. 

VIII 

Some  sceptical  colleagues,  however,  arrive  at 
Lourdes  with  the  firm  intention  of  ascertaining  for 
themselves  what  takes  place  at  the  Grotto.  They 
have  determined  to  observe  and  study  the  facts 
loyally,  and  then  to  come  to  a  conscientious  con¬ 
clusion. 

Men  of  this  calibre,  when  they  are  present  at  some 
striking  cure,  are  at  first  dumbfounded.  They  do 
not  make  that  common  pleasantry  :  “  He  is  cured,  so 
much  the  better  for  him  ”  ;  but,  after  having  struggled 
and  protested  in  the  name  of  Science,  they  have  the 
necessary  courage  and  candour  to  recognise  that  the 
fact  is  perfectly  obvious  and  definite.  There  is  cer¬ 
tain  evidence,  and  they  avow  that  the  extraordinary 
phenomena  they  have  seen  cannot  be  explained  by  any 
human  science. 

During  the  National  Pilgrimage  of  1913,  in  the 


MLLE.  CLAIRE  PAQUIGNON  (AFTER  CURE) 


THE  DOCTORS 


13  7 


place  of  honour  that  is  reserved  for  the  doctors  imme¬ 
diately  behind  the  canopy  under  which  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  is  carried  by  the  Bishop,  I  saw  suddenly, 
about  twenty-five  yards  away  along  the  rank  of 
stretcher  cases,  the  apparition  of  a  young  girl  moving 
out  very  slowly  from  amongst  the  kneeling  crowd; 
her  hair  all  disordered,  clad  only  in  her  night  gar¬ 
ments,  she  held  her  arms  crosswise,  and  big  tears 
rolled  down  her  cheeks  as  the  words,  “  My  God  !  my 
God  !”  escaped  from  her  lips. 

This  was  Mademoiselle  Claire  Paquignon,  of 
Paris,  who  had  risen  from  her  sick-bed.  I  had  re¬ 
marked  her  only  that  morning  at  the  Grotto,  and  her 
almost  moribund  appearance  had  excited  my  pity. 

Soon  after  I  found  this  young  girl  at  the  Medical 
Bureau;  I  was  present  at  all  the  different  phases  of 
her  examination,  took  part  in  them  myself,  and  learnt 
that  Mademoiselle  Paquignon  had  been  attacked  by 
tuberculosis  four  years  previously,  and  had  undergone 
two  severe  operations,  made  by  Dr.  Lerey,  surgeon  on 
the  staff  of  St.  Joseph’s  Hospital.  These  two  inter¬ 
ventions  seemed  at  first  to  have  some  measure  of  suc¬ 
cess,  but  the  general  state  of  the  patient  remained  very 
precarious.  One  may  remove  diseased  organs,  but  as 
yet  the  operation  of  removing  the  peritoneum  has  not 
been  performed.  This  membrane  was  now  involved 
by  a  very  severe  form  of  tuberculosis,  against  which 
measures  were  adopted  in  vain  by  Drs.  Lesage  and 
Villechauvais,  of  Paris,  from  February  to  August, 
1913.  The  main  symptoms  were  continuous  fever, 
great  pain,  intractable  vomiting,  and  repeated  col¬ 
lections  of  pus .  Dr.  Villechauvais  declared  that 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


138 

to  undertake  the  journey  to  Lourdes  in  such  a  condi¬ 
tion  would  mean  certain  death. 

She  departed,  however,  and  I  have  just  recounted 
how  she  got  up  and  was  radically  and  suddenly  cured 
at  the  passage  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  At  the 
Medical  Bureau  it  was  recognised  that  all  the 
abdominal  lesions  had  disappeared  absolutely,  nor 
was  there  sign  of  tubercle  elsewhere.  I  was  present 
also  at  the  interesting  and  touching  meeting  between 
Claire  Paquignon  and  Dr.  Lesage.  He  arrived  at 
Lourdes  on  the  day  following  the  cure.  When  he 
arrived  in  the  presence  of  the  patient,  whom  he  had 
seen  but  three  days  before  in  an  almost  dying  condi¬ 
tion,  he  could  not  contain  his  emotion,  and,  with  his 
eyes  full  of  tears,  could  only  stammer  out  the  two 
words:  “  Oh,  Mademoiselle  !  ” 

Well,  during  the  examination  I  found  myself  in 

close  proximity  to  Dr.  C - ,  of  Niort.  I  could  see 

that  he  had  been  much  astonished  and  moved  at  this 
surprising  case,  which  we  had  direct  evidence  of,  as 
also  at  the  details  given  by  Dr.  Lesage.  Suddenly 
he  turned  with  a  smile  to  another  doctor,  a  professor 
of  the  School  of  Medicine  at  Nantes,  who  had  also 
been  present,  and  made  an  avowal  of  his  scepticism. 
The  opinion  of  both  was  :  “  Certainly  we  are  present 
at  an  extraordinary  event !  but  it  can  be  transitory 
only,  an  amelioration  produced  by  the  great  desire 
for  a  cure  combined  with  an  emotional  nervous  shock 
experienced  on  the  Esplanade.  The  illness  will  soon 
recommence;  for,  humanly  speaking,  it  is  absolutely 
impossible  to  cure  such  a  condition.”  But  the  disease 
has  not  returned. 


THE  DOCTORS 


139 


Dr.  C -  became  more  and  more  interested;  he 

visited  the  Bureau  each  of  the  four  following  days, 
returning  night  and  morning  to  find  each  time  mani¬ 
fest  progress,  which  augmented  daily.  He  was  present 
at  the  rapid  return  to  health,  appetite,  strength, 
colour,  and  he  saw  the  young  girl  leave  on  the  fourth 
day  with  all  the  appearance  of  advanced  con¬ 
valescence. 

Our  colleague,  loyal  though  sceptical,  was  con¬ 
vinced  of  his  error.  He  frankly  acknowledged  it. 
Giving  his  impressions  to  a  journal — La  Revue  de 
V Ouest — he  terminated  his  article  as  follows  : 

“The  fact  is  there,  inexplicable  but  real.  There 
are  no  means  of  escaping  from  it  by  talking  of  nervous 
phenomena !  Mademoiselle  Paquignon  arrived  at 
Lourdes  by  the  White  Train  on  August  21,  suffering 
from  tuberculous  peritonitis  in  its  last  stages.  She 
left  Lourdes  on  August  25  with  all  the  appearances  of 
a  rapid  and  complete  cure.  I  saw  her  myself,  and 
there  is  no  denying  the  fact. 

“  I  shall  correspond  with  my  colleague  in  Paris  who 
had  medical  charge  of  Mademoiselle  Paquignon.  If 
the  illness  returns  I  shall  announce  the  fact.” 

I  may  add  that  the  illness  has  not  returned,  at 
any  rate  for  nine  years.  I  often  see  Mademoiselle 
Paquignon.  She  is  a  young,  healthy-looking,  fresh- 
complexioned  girl,  full  of  energy. 

IX 

There  are  some  unbelieving  doctors  who  are  less 
prompt  to  accept  the  supernatural,  and  have  many 


Ho  THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 

difficulties  to  overcome  before  they  avow  themselves 
convinced.  . 

To  begin  with,  they  usually  do  not  give  much 
attention  to  the  enquiries  of  the  Medical  Bureau. 
They  commence  by  listening  somewhat  distractedly  to 
what  is  told  them.  It  is  not  long,  however,  before 
they  begin  to  be  somewhat  astonished  on  seeing  the 
cures  which  have  been  obtained  in  organic  diseases 
and  not  amongst  hysterical  cases.  Their  interest  is 
aroused  and  gradually  increases.  They  scrutinise 
more  closely,  thinking  that  certainly  they  are  in  the 
presence  of  something  in  the  way  of  trickery  or  con¬ 
juring.  Then  they  finish  by  realising  that  their  senses 
are  not  deceiving  them,  that  all  takes  place  openly  at 
Lourdes  in  the  great  clinic  of  the  supernatural. 
They  recognise  now,  in  spite  of  themselves,  that  facts 
do  occur  which  are  in  opposition  to  the  laws  of  Nature ; 
that  these  facts — and  this  is  a  great  point  with  them — 
are  examined  and  controlled  in  their  presence  by  other 
medical  men,  often  atheists  and  as  sceptical  as  them¬ 
selves.  Finally,  as  it  is  necessary  either  to  deny  and 
give  evidence  of  the  most  marked  disloyalty,  or  to 
admit  the  supernatural,  they  range  themselves  on  the 
side  of  evidence  and  truth. 

One  morning  a  capable  young  doctor  presented 
himself  at  the  Bureau.  When  asked  for  his  card,  he 
stood  rather  on  his  dignity  and  replied  :  “  It  is  not 
worth  the  trouble,  for  I  do  not  believe  all  these  tales. ” 
No  insistence  was  made,  little  attention  was  paid  to 
him,  and  he  remained  in  a  corner  somewhat  isolated. 
He  was  present  at  the  arrival  of  several  people  who 
said  that  they  were  better  or  cured,  and  he  saw  the 


THE  DOCTORS 


141 

doctors  present  give  their  opinions,  interrogate  the 
patient,  strictly  analyse  the  facts,  and  sum  up  as  they 
seemed  to  indicate. 

Old  *  ‘  miracules  5  ’  came  in,  recounted  their  case, 
and  claimed  to  be  noted  again.  He  laughed  at  the 
recital  of  some  of  these  privileged  people,  scarcely 
believing  that  the  individual  there  so  smiling  and  gay 
was  once  a  case  abandoned  by  Science;  but  he  could 
find  the  report,  examine  all  its  pathological  details, 
witnesses,  facts,  etc. — all  were  to  be  found  there ! 
Then  more  or  less  unconsciously  he  began  to  interest 
himself  in  “these  tales.”  After  a  time  he  went  out 
quietly,  but  deep  in  thought.  The  afternoon  of  that 
same  day,  he  again  entered  the  Bureau,  but  this  time 
card  in  hand,  and  addressing  the  Secretary,  said  : 
“Colleague,  I  am  an  imbecile;  please  do  me  the 
honour  to  take  my  card.” 

From  that  day  the  doctor  in  question  has  rarely 
passed  a  year  without  coming  to  take  part  in  our 
work,  and  has  become  one  of  our  most  faithful  and 
assiduous  helpers. 

X 

Finally  there  are  unbelieving  members  of  the  pro¬ 
fession  who  are  absolutely  “bowled  over”  by  the 
evidence  of  some  fact  outside  the  laws  of  Nature  that 
they  have  witnessed,  and  they  surrender  without 
resistance.  The  veil  which  obscured  their  sight  seems, 
as  it  were,  to  be  torn  away  by  the  force  of  the  truth, 
and  a  light  which  is  sudden  and  dazzling  streams  in 
upon  them. 

During  one  of  the  recent  big  pilgrimages,  one  of  our 


142 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


colleagues,  who  comes  each  year  to  give  us  his  help 
and  assistance,  encountered  on  the  Rosary  Esplanade 
a  fellow-student  whom  he  had  not  seen  for  several 
years.  Very  pleased  with  this  encounter,  he  asked 
his  friend  to  accompany  him  to  the  Bureau,  but  he 
soon  perceived  that  the  latter,  an  absolute  sceptic, 
was  not  at  all  disposed  to  take  the  Bureau  seriously. 
At  the  definite  invitation  which  was  addressed  to  him, 
he  replied  in  a  railing  tone :  “  What  do  you  wish  me 
to  do  there  ?  I  know  exactly  what  occurs.  I  should 
see  three  or  four  doctors  .  .  .  somewhat  behind  the 
times  .  .  .  pontificate,  and  register  pretended  cures 
of  hysterical  women.  That  sort  of  thing  does  not 
interest  me  one  little  bit.  *  * 

After  having  explained  how  things  were  conducted 
at  the  Bureau,  and  having  tried  to  convince  him  with¬ 
out  success  that  the  examinations  at  this  clinic  were 
serious  and  very  interesting,  by  quoting  finally  some 
definite  cases,  he  managed  to  persuade  his  friend  to 
enter  the  room  reserved  for  the  doctors. 

There  he  was  surprised  to  find  about  twenty 
doctors,  who  seemed  to  him  by  no  means  “  behind  the 
times  ” — on  the  contrary,  very  much  up  to  date — who 
mutually  gave  their  impressions  and  opinions  of 
various  cases,  and  pulled  diagnoses  to  pieces. 

The  boredom  that  he  had  hidden  on  entering  with 
a  somewhat  sarcastic  smile  soon  gave  place  to  a  cer¬ 
tain  confidence.  He  saw  around  him  doctors  of  all 
kinds  of  opinions,  even  freethinkers  and  Protestants, 
who  came  and  went  in  an  atmosphere  that  was  quite 
scientific.  Certainly  he  had  not  been  introduced  into 
a  sacristy ,  as  he  had  rather  feared.  Affairs  passed 


THE  DOCTORS 


143 


normally  and  straightforwardly,  and  one  found  one¬ 
self  quite  at  ease  in  a  sympathetic  atmosphere.  The 
doctors  attached  to  the  Bureau  neither  tried  to 
influence  their  colleagues  nor  to  impose  upon  them 
their  own  opinions.  They  did  not  even  speak  of  the 
miraculous.  Could  it  be,  after  all,  that  his  friend 
was  right  ? 

Just  at  this  moment,  however,  a  young  girl  was 
brought  to  the  Bureau,  who  had  got  up  from  her 
stretcher  in  front  of  the  Grotto,  and  who  said  that 
she  was  suddenly  cured  of  vertebral  caries  with  com¬ 
plete  paraplegia ;  her  report  contained  a  very  detailed 
account,  together  with  the  certificate  of  a  well-known 
professor  of  the  Faculty  of  Paris,  under  whose  treat¬ 
ment  she  had  been  in  hospital  for  two  years. 

The  diagnosis  made  by  such  a  well-known  man  pro¬ 
duced  considerable  impression  on  the  assembly,  for  it 
could  not  be  called  in  doubt.  The  reality  of  the  cure, 
as  complete  as  it  was  sudden,  could  not  be  denied. 
The  interrogation  of  the  patient,  examination  of  the 
certificates,  witnesses,  etc.,  all  took  place  before  the 
assembled  doctors.  The  examination  of  the  patient, 
undertaken  by  five  doctors,  lasted  more  than  an  hour. 
Then,  according  to  the  usual  mode  of  procedure,  the 
report  which  had  been  drawn  up  by  the  examining 
doctors  was  read  out  at  the  assembly.  At  the  ques¬ 
tion,  “  Can  the  sudden  and  absolute  cure  be  attributed 
to  a  natural  process  ?”  all  the  doctors  present,  includ¬ 
ing  the  incredulous  practitioner,  answered  in  the 
negative. 

When  the  meeting  was  over,  the  sarcastic  smile  with 
which  the  sceptic  had  accepted  the  invitation  to 


1 44 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


examine  for  himself  had  given  place  to  interest  and 
emotion.  To  the  questions  of  his  friend  on  his  first 
impressions,  he  replied:  “There  is  no  doubt.  God 
alone  could  act  so  rapidly.”  At  the  door  of  the 
Bureau  he  said  :  “I  was  delighted  with  what  I  saw; 
I  would  not  have  given  up  my  place  for  an  empire.” 

Soon  after  he  announced  to  his  wife  his  intention  of 
staying  a  little  longer  at  Lourdes,  in  order  to  con¬ 
tinue  his  collaboration  in  the  interesting  work  of  the 
Medical  Bureau. 


XI 

Medical  men  of  various  religious  beliefs — Protes¬ 
tants,  Jews,  etc. — are  not  exempt  from  the  attraction 
which  draws  so  many  to  Lourdes.  Every  year  our 
register  gives  the  names  of  doctors  not  belonging  to 
the  Catholic  Faith,  and  they  take  not  a  little  interest 
in  the  proceedings  of  the  Bureau. 

But  all  doctors  do  not  come  solely  with  the  view  of 
studying  the  cases.  A  large  number  exist  who  come 
to  Lourdes  as  pilgrims.  They  are  led  there,  it  may 
be,  to  return  thanks  to  our  Lady  for  graces  received, 
or  to  demand  a  cure  for  themselves  or  for  some  mem¬ 
ber  of  their  family.  A  colleague  in  New  York,  intro¬ 
ducing  his  young  son  to  Dr.  Boissarie  at  Lourdes, 
sent  with  him  the  following  lines  written  by  himself, 
lines  somewhat  surprising  to  come  from  the  pen  of  a 
doctor :  “  My  son,  in  the  state  of  weakness  in  which 
he  is  now,  joined  to  the  uncertainty  as  to  his  future, 
turns  for  help  to  our  Lady  of  Lourdes.  The  super¬ 
natural  is  there — the  supernatural  which  can  cure  him 
and  restore  him  to  health.  The  pilgrimage  he  is 


THE  DOCTORS 


145 

undertaking  will  show  him  to  be  submissive  to  God’s 
will,  and  seeking  in  all  things  his  glory.  He  believes, 
we  believe.  Mary  immaculate,  pray  for  us,  who  have 
recourse  to  thee.”  Signed :  Dr.  Archambault- 
Lassalhe.1 

Another  doctor,  whose  child  was  blind,  wrote  to 
the  President  of  the  Bureau  :  “  I  have  come  twice  this 
winter  from  Ireland.  I  shall  return  a  third  time,  for 
Lourdes  only  can  cure  my  child.” 

Again,  another  example:  “  I  have  nothing  to 
expect  from  medicine.  ...  I  come  to  ask  my  cure 
from  the  blessed  Virgin;  and  if  I  do  not  obtain  it, 
resignation  and  submission  to  the  will  of  God.” 

In  recent  years  I  have  often  seen  medical  men  with¬ 
out  any  ostentation  come  on  a  pilgrimage  of  thanks¬ 
giving,  and  speak  with  grateful  hearts  of  their  grati¬ 
tude  and  veneration  for  our  Lady  of  Lourdes. 

1  Boissarie,  L’CEuvre  de  Lourdes ,  p.  38. 


CHAPTER  V 


CONCLUSIONS 

PERHAPS  from  what  I  have  said  the  conclusion 
may  be  drawn  that  even  the  most  exacting  may 
find  that  Lourdes  offers  the  medical  profession  a  sub¬ 
ject  for  study,  a  clinic  of  great  interest,  and  to  all, 
motives  for  venerating  God,  the  all-powerful  Creator. 

My  design  will  have  been  attained  if  I  have  induced 
some  to  study  the  question  more  thoroughly,  and  to 
turn  their  minds  to  these  truths,  which  so  far  are 
insufficiently  known.  I  shall  be  well  satisfied  if  I 
have  succeeded  in  arousing  in  the  souls  of  some  indif¬ 
ferent  or  sceptical  members  of  the  profession  the  desire 
to  investigate  more  thoroughly  a  problem  which 
places  us  in  the  presence  of  the  supernatural. 

To  people  of  good-will,  and  those  who  vaguely 
know  that  surprising  things  do  occur,  I  say  :  Come  to 
Lourdes ;  enquire,  examine,  see  all  the  imposing  mani¬ 
festations  of  charity,  which  frequently  touch  the  most 
hardened.  You  will  find  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Grotto  everything  capable  of  satisfying  a  legitimate 
curiosity.  You  will  learn  things,  perhaps  until  now 
unsuspected,  which  will  open  your  eyes  and  conduct 
you  infallibly  to  Catholic  belief.  If  you  suffer  in 
body,  you  will  be  perhaps  cured  or  relieved.  If  it  is 
your  soul  that  is  diseased  in  some  respect,  you  will 
always  find  the  divine  Healer. 

To  my  colleagues  who  are  loyal  and  sincere  in 
their  search  for  truth,  I  address  myself  with  confidence 

146 


CONCLUSIONS 


147 


and  say :  In  the  place  of  feigning  ignorance  as  to 
the  extraordinary  marvels  that  undoubtedly  do  occur 
at  Lourdes,  instead  of  treating  them  with  derision  or 
denying  them  .  .  .  from  a  distance ,  would  it  not  be 
much  more  reasonable,  interesting,  and  logical  to 
adopt  the  same  attitude  that  you  do  with  regard  to 
your  scientific  studies  ?  Is  it  not  preferable  to  go  and 
study  on  the  spot ,  to  investigate  in  the  Bureau  itself, 
the  questions  that  we  put  openly  and  straightfor¬ 
wardly  before  all  the  doctors  present  ? 

Come  to  Lourdes  during  the  time  of  the  great  pil¬ 
grimages.  Come  then  to  the  Medical  Bureau.  You 
will  find  yourself  absolutely  at  home.  You  will 
receive  the  fraternal  welcome  which  is  given  to  all; 
will  encounter  many  other  practitioners,  sincere  and 
loyal  in  their  intentions.  You  will  be  cordially 
invited  to  take  part  in  this  interesting  work ;  will  par¬ 
ticipate  in  the  examinations  and  enquiries,  where  all 
possible  objections  are  brought  forward  and  openly 
discussed. 

I  cannot  promise  that  you  will  see  an  exceptional 
case,  for  the  cures  do  not  take  place  according  to  our 
wish  or  desire.  You  can,  however,  pick  out  from  our 
archives  the  particular  case  you  would  like  to  enquire 
about,  and  continue  your  researches  as  far  and  for 
as  long  as  you  like. 

Supposing  that  you  consider  that  our  examinations 
are  insufficient,  that  our  methods  leave  something  to 
be  desired,  that  you  think  such  and  such  a  system  of 
investigation  should  be  employed — then  tell  us  so, 
nobody  will  make  difficulties  or  objections. 

If  God  should  permit  that  you  are  present  at  the 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


148 

Bureau  at  some  cure  which  is  absolutely  inexplicable 
(and  you  stand  every  chance  of  encountering  such), 
then  I  ask  that  you  will  not  shut  your  eyes  to  the  light. 

In  every  case  I  believe  that  all  will  have  the  intimate 
conviction  that  everything  passes  openly  and 
honestly,  that  all  the  enquiries  are  conducted 
systematically  and  with  the  greatest  care. 

I  have  also  complete  confidence  that  after  having 
come  in  contact  with  the  supernatural,  you  will  leave 
Lourdes  with  the  belief  that  the  facts  there  are  worthy 
the  attention  of  every  cultivated  man  of  good  faith, 
and  that  the  supreme  object  of  the  Bureau  tends  to 
one  sole  end  : 

Search  for  the  Truth,  and  through  the  knowledge 
of  the  Truth,  the  spread  of  greater  honour  and  devo¬ 
tion  to  the  Immaculate  Virgin. 


Paris,  February  11,  1922. 


INDEX 


A 

Agnes,  Sister  (oi  the  Little 
Sisters  of  the  Assumption),  cure 
of,  47 

Ambrose,  Sister,  cure  of,  22 
Archambault-Lassalhe,  Dr.,  145 
Augier,  Dr.,  58 
Authier,  Madame,  cure  of,  47 

B 

Babinsky,  55 

Bailly,  Marie,  cure  ot,  in 
Bathing  at  the  Piscines,  98 
Bee,  Dr.,  54 

Benedict  XIV,  Pope,  on  miracles, 

4i 

Bernadette,  1 

medical  opinion  about,  9,  10 
Bernheim,  on  cures  of  Lourdes, 

ll»  85 

limits  of  suggestion,  5  <5 
Bertillon,  Dr.,  86 
Besnier,  Dr.,  107 
Bire,  Madame,  cure  of,  22 
Boissarie,  Dr.,  15,  73,  82,  107, 
no,  120,  128 
Borel,  Marie,  cure  of,  22 

C 

C - ,  Dr.,  of  Niort,  138 

Cailleux,  Mdlle.  Emilie,  cure  of, 

1 14 

Cancer,  three  cases  of,  22 

Carel,  Dr.,  no 

Castel,  Dr.  du,  108 

Charcot,  55,  102 

Chauvet,  Marguerite,  cure  of,  41 

Clement,  Rene,  cure  of,  22 

Conversions,  12 


Cot,  Dr.,  51 
Coulange,  Dr.,  35,  114 
Couteau,  Sophie,  cure  of,  47 
Cox,  Dr.,  74 

Criticisms  on  the  Medical  Bureau, 
89 

Cures,  cold  water,  etc.,  8 
different  kinds  of,  7,  22 
miraculous  or  supernatural, 
what  is  understood  by,  17 
outside  natural  forces,  66 
which  are  not  miracles,  67 
which  are  not  reported  at  the 
Bureau,  88 

D 

Dehant,  Joachim,  cure  of,  22 
Diday,  102 

Doctors,  ignorance  about  Lourdes, 
127 

scepticism  Oi,  128,  139 
Dozous,  Dr.,  9 
Dubedat,  Dr.,  35 
Duret,  Professor,  85 

E 

Ernst,  Dr.,  107 
Eynard,  Dr.,  54 

F 

Faith  and  Science,  7 2 
Fenestre,  Dr.,  33 
Fistula,  stercoral,  cure  of,  22 
Foret,  Juliette,  cure  of,  15 
Fournier,  Professor,  107 
Fractures  of  long  standing,  cure 
of,  22 

Frontal  sinus,  cure  of,  22 
Fur,  Dr.  Le,  90 


149 


150 


THE  FACTS  OF  LOURDES 


G 

Gargam,  Gabriel,  cure  of,  42 
Gony,  Dr.,  114 
Goret,  Dr.,  114 

Gougaud,  Mdlle.  Valentine,  cure 

of,  57 

Gouillard,  Dr.,  ill 
Grandmaison  de  Bruno,  Dr.  de, 
32 

Grivotte,  La,  19,  47 
Guerin,  Dr.,  30 

Guillotteau,  Mdlle.  Ernestine, 
cure  of,  43 

H 

Hip  disease,  41 
Huprelle,  Aurelie,  cure  of,  22 
Hysterical  patients  and  miiacles, 
42 

J 

Jourdain,  Dr.,  54 
L 

Lapponi,  Dr.,  129 
Laurence,  Monsignor,  10 
Lebacq,  Henri,  cure  of,  22 
Lebranchu,  Marie,  cure  of,  19 
Le  Bee,  Dr.,  74 
Lecene,  Professor,  116 
Lemarchand,  Marie,  cure  of,  47 
Lerey,  Dr.,  137 
Lesage,  Dr.,  137 
Leveque,  Leonie,  cure  of,  22 
Littre,  11,  132 

Lourdes,  The  Truth  about 
Lourdes ,  by  Dr.  R. ,  24 
Lupus,  cure  of,  106 

M 

Maclou,  Dr.  S.,  73 
Malingre,  Dr.,  34 
Medical  Bureau,  Archives  of  the, 
26,  85  _ 

characteristics  of,  79 
commencement  of,  70 
doctors  invited  to  visit, 
101,  147 

doctors  of  various  reli¬ 
gions  visit,  144 


Medical  Bureau,  number  of  doctors 
visiting,  103 
privacy  of,  81 
procedure  of,  80 
work  of  the,  7 1 
Medical  certificates,  91,  116 

indefiniteness  of,  118 
refused  by  doctors,  1 17 
Michaux,  Dr.,  43 
Michelet,  Dr.,  35 
Miracles  at  Lourdes,  medical  men 
and,  11,  100,  104 
occur  publicly,  8 
premature  accounts  of, 
90 

Monteux,  Dr.,  114 
Mougeot,  Dr.,  36 

N 

Nancey,  Juliette,  cure  of,  33 
Nervous  maladies,  40 
Newspapers  and  Reviews  : 
Journal  de  la  Grotte,  51,  57, 
90,  91 

La  Croix  de  Paris ,  1 1 6 
La  Revtie  de  POuest,  139 
La  Semaine  Religieuse ,  62 
Le  Petit  Marseillais,  1 1 3 
Le  Soleil  du  Midi,  1 13 
Science  and  Life,  1 1 2 

O 

Opponents  reject  evidence,  27 
Optic  nerve,  cure  of  lesion  of,  22 

P 

Paquignon,  Mdlle.  Claire,  cure 
of,  137 

Petitpierre,  Dr.,  61 
Philippon,  Dr.,  112 
Phthisical  cavities,  cure  or,  22 
Pilgrimages,  private,  reports  01 
cures,  88 

Pilgrims  and  doctors,  93,  96 
Pilgrims’  day  at  Lourdes,  95 
Pineau,  Dr.,  114 
Piroult,  Dr.,  61 

Pott’s  disease,  40,  51,  58,  114, 
121,  130 


INDEX 


I5i 


Pr - ,  Mdlle.,  cure  of,  46 

Premature  accounts  of  miracles, 
9i 

Press  publishes  cures  prematurely, 
69 

Pulmonary  tuberculosis,  cures  of, 
22,  3°,  33 

R 

Radiographs,  92 

Renan,  on  the  miraculous,  72 

Resignation  of  the  sick,  15 

Richard,  Marie,  cure  of,  22 

Ripaut,  Dr.,  33 

Roquet,  Elise,  cure  of,  47 

Rouchel,  Madame,  cure  of,  106 

Rouquette,  Dr.,  35 

Rudder,  Pierre  De,  cure  of,  22 

S 

Sacrament,  Procession  of  the 
Blessed,  8 

Sacrifice  of  cure  by  the  sick,  15 
Salin,  Mdlle.  Irene,  cure  of,  51 
Schoepfer,  Mgr.,  74 
Science  and  miracles,  4,  38 
Sequestra,  17 
Society  of  St.  Luke,  91 

Dr.  Le  Bee,  Pre¬ 
sident  of,  74 

Suggestion,  48 

T 

Tartanssen,  Dr.,  54 
Tennesson,  Dr.,  108 


Thurel,  Louis,  cure  of,  30 
Travaillard,  Madame,  cure  of,  22 
Tubercular  peritonitis,  cure  of, 
137 

Tumours  disappear  in  the  piscine, 
22 

Turo,  Dr. ,  35 

U 

Ulcer  from  knee  to  ankle,  cure  of, 
22 

Universities  and  the  miracles  of 
Lourdes,  109 

Unknown  forces  of  Nature,  64 
V 

j  Verges,  Dr.,  President  of  Medical 
Commission,  1858,  10 
Verzier,  Marguerite,  cure  of,  22 
Villechauvais,  Dr.,  137 

W 

Water  at  the  Grotto,  8 

and  suggestion,  50 

Weil,  Dr.,  34 

Witnesses,  evidence  of,  23,  133 
Wounds  cicatrise  in  a  second,  22 

X 

X.,  Monsieur,  and  his  family,  15 
Z 

Zola  on  cures  at  Lourdes,  19,  47, 
132 


I 


BT  653  *  M2 7m 


H  a  r  c  h  a  n  d  ?  A I  f  r  0  d  * 


The  facts 
Med i ea I 


of  Lourdes  and  the 
Bureau  / 


Bapst  Library 

Boston  College 
Chestnut  Hilt  Mass.  02167 


